The Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) and the prosecutor’s office in Chisinau said they are investigating a spy network involving both Moldovan and foreign nationals, desdechi.md writes. According to prosecutors, five citizens of Moldova, who are being investigated in this case, were recruited “by a third state for actions aimed at destabilizing and violently changing the constitutional order” in the Republic of Moldova.

According to the SIS press release, five citizens of Moldova are involved in this case, two of them were detained and placed in custody in December 2022.

• “They were recruited by the special services of a third state to assist their employees in destabilizing and violently changing the constitutional order in the state. According to the Criminal Code, these actions are “hostile activities against the Republic of Moldova” and are punishable by imprisonment for a period of 12 to 20 years,” the Chisinau prosecutor’s office said in a statement quoted by deschide.md.

The target of espionage is also the citizens of another country who managed and financed the subversive activities of persons from the Republic of Moldova. For these actions, the Criminal Code prescribes punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years.

On February 13, Maia Sandu accused Russia of preparing a coup in Chisinau.

Maia Sandu spoke about Russia’s plans to remove power from Chisinau a few days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Moscow’s plan to destroy the Republic of Moldova.

• “The plan for the next period involves actions involving military-trained saboteurs, camouflaged in civilian clothes, who will carry out acts of violence, attack some government buildings and take hostages.
• By means of violent actions disguised as protests of the so-called opposition, a change of power in Chisinau will be forced.
• The documents received from our Ukrainian partners demonstrate high-quality documentation of the locations and logistical aspects of the organization of this subversive activity. The plan also envisages the use of people from outside the country for violent actions.
• For example, the materials contain instructions on the rules of entry to the Republic of Moldova for citizens of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro,” said Maya Sandu.