Posted originally on the CTH on March 13, 2023 | Sundance

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Moldova yesterday, wanting to express their opinion that NATO escalating hostilities against Russia is only going to mean further regional crisis, conflict and likely bloodshed.

There is a significant amount of support for Russia within the country of Moldova, but that presents a problem for the western alliance, specifically NATO, as the peace demand runs against their interests.  As a result, Russia is blamed for inspiring the street protests against NATO escalation.

When the U.S. activates NGOs in European countries (Moldova, Hungary, Georgia) the media call it “spreading democracy.” However, when the people who live in the country organically rise up in the opposite direction against the government outcomes from the NGO pressure, the media call it “Russian interference.”  NBC pushes the NATO message:

(Via NBC) – Police in Moldova said they foiled a plot by groups of Russia-backed actors who were trained to cause mass unrest during a Sunday protest against the country’s new pro-Western government.

The head of Moldova’s police, Viorel Cernauteanu, said in a news conference that an undercover agent had infiltrated groups of “diversionists,” some Russian citizens, who allegedly were promised $10,000 to organize “mass disorder” during the protest in the capital, Chisinau. Seven people were detained, he said.

Separately, police said they arrested 54 protesters, including 21 minors, who exhibited “questionable behavior” or were found to be carrying prohibited items, including at least one knife.

The protest Sunday is one of several held in recent weeks organized by a group calling itself Movement for the People, which is backed by Moldova’s Russia-friendly Shor Party, which holds six seats in the country’s 101-seat legislature.

The demonstrators are demanding that the government fully cover the costs of winter energy bills and to “not involve the country in war.” They have repeatedly called on President Maia Sandu to step down.

[…] Moldova’s border police also said Sunday that 182 foreign nationals in the last week have been denied entry into Moldova, including a “possible representative” of Russia’s Wagner Group, the private military company that is fighting in Ukraine, Moldova’s war-torn neighbor.

The police announcement Sunday comes just days after U.S. intelligence officials said they have determined that actors with ties to Russian intelligence are planning to use protests in Moldova, a European Union candidate since last June, as a basis to foment an insurrection against the country’s government. (read more)