US Sanctions Russians Over Alleged Coup Attempt in Moldova

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said on Monday that it has imposed sanctions on seven people with ties to the Russian intelligence services for their involvement in attempts to destabilise democracy and influence elections in Moldova, Ukraine and the Balkan countries.

"The sanctions imposed today shine a light on Russia's ongoing covert efforts to destabilise democratic nations," said Brian Nelson, US Treasury Under-Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

"Russia's attempted influence operations exploit the concerns of the citizens of these countries to destabilise legitimately elected governments for Moscow's own interests," he added.

The Treasury Department said that Konstantin Sapozhnikov led the group, which it said organised a plot to destabilise the government of Moldova in early 2023.

In February and March, several thousand people took to the streets of the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, to call for the ousting of President Maia Sandu and the country's pro-Western government. Many in the crowd were linked to the Russia-friendly Shor Party.

The Treasury Department said that Yury Makolov was involved in logistical support for the plot and Gleb Khloponin gathered security details on various government buildings in Moldova.

Svetlana Boyko handled budgeting for the plot to destabilise the government, while Aleksey Losev did reconnaissance in Moldova, it added.

Vasily Gromovikov was involved in budgeting for and financing the plot in Chisinau, while Anna Travnikova was involved in the group's operations to sway public opinion abroad in favour of Russia in the context of the war against Ukraine, the Treasury Department further alleged.

It said that in 2022, Travnikova...

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