​Moldavian police announced this Sunday, a few hours after a demonstration against the pro-European government, about the arrest of members of a network “organized by Moscow” to destabilize the country neighboring Ukraine. At the end of the raids on Saturday night, 25 men were questioned and seven of them were taken into custody, police chief Viorel Chernautyan told AFP.

An agent infiltrated the group, which was headed by a citizen of Russia and Moldova. “Ha venido gente de Russia con un rol preciso de formationa,” the official said. The authorities of Moldova stated that they acted and were informed “by an organization that is part of the Russian special services, about destabilizing actions on our territory through demonstrations.”

Over the past few weeks, the party of pro-Russian oligarch Ilkhan Shor has mobilized supporters against the pro-European government of the former Soviet republic, which has strained relations with Moscow. Shore organized various demonstrations, en las que es suspectoso de remunerar a sus members. A new demonstration is planned for Sunday afternoon in the capital Chisinau.

On Friday, Washington accused Russia of wanting to destabilize the country of 2.6 million people, which neighbors Ukraine, with the ultimate goal of installing a government there loyal to its cause. Moldova has the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria, whose authorities this week said they foiled an attack on high-ranking officials allegedly instigated by Kiev. Ukrainian special services denied these statements, calling them a “provocation” by the Kremlin, which has a contingent of peacekeepers in Transnistria.