---
title: "Russia Blamed for Moldova's Disinformation Crisis"
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/30278/russia-blamed-for-moldova-s-disinformation-crisis
published: 2024-02-13T16:13:37Z
language: en
section: "Political"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Russia Blamed for Moldova's Disinformation Crisis

> Experts at a recent forum in Moldova unanimously pointed towards Russia as the sole source of widespread disinformation campaigns targeting the country.

Experts at a recent forum in Moldova unanimously pointed towards Russia as the sole source of widespread disinformation campaigns targeting the country.

![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/14379e5c-bd4a-42ee-a49f-600b1ef45443.jpg)

They warned of intensifying Russian propaganda, particularly ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

Dionis Cenușă, analyst at Expert-Grup, presented an analysis highlighting Moldova's vulnerability to misinformation despite not being directly involved in the Ukraine war. *"We see the Russian Federation attempting to justify its war through fabricated narratives about protecting Russian minorities,"* Cenușă stated, outlining other key disinformation tactics: fear mongering regarding Western sanctions and inciting destabilisation in the breakaway Transnistrian region.

Nerijus Maliukevičius, a Lithuanian expert in international relations, shared his country's experience in combating Russian propaganda. Lithuania implemented various measures following the 2014 Crimean annexation, including banning hate-inciting and disinformation-spreading Russian channels. *"The information bubble shrunk gradually, though some initially sought alternative access online,"* Maliukevičius noted.

Moldova has also taken action, blocking dozens of websites and 12 television channels affiliated with Russia for spreading war-related disinformation in the past two years. President Maia Sandu established the Center for Strategic Communication and Combating Disinformation in 2022 to further safeguard the information space.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**