Moldova has blocked cryptocurrency worth $107 million that was intended to finance pro-Russian parties, the country’s Foreign Minister, Mihai Popșoi, announced, Nokta reports.
Speaking at a debate at the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington, Popșoi emphasized that the seized funds are only part of a broader interference campaign that Moldovan authorities link to Moscow. According to him, the networks behind the operation had access to millions of dollars and aimed to destabilize the country through financing protests, influencing political groups, and preparing violent actions.
Cryptocurrencies allow for fast cross-border payments while making it difficult to trace transactions. This makes them a convenient tool for circumventing sanctions and facilitating political bribery, creating serious challenges for law enforcement and regulators.
Popșoi noted that Moldova today is more resilient to such interference attempts than it was five to six years ago. He stressed that the scale of resources directed toward supporting pro-Russian parties is significant and could seriously affect a small country. If such funds circulated freely, it could be catastrophic for the country’s political and economic stability.
The minister also emphasized that Moldova is being used as a “testing ground” for hybrid tactics, including disinformation and hidden financing schemes via complex financial routes and cryptocurrencies. He added that support from Western partners plays a key role in strengthening institutions and pursuing corruption-related crimes.
According to Moldovan authorities and investigative journalists, one of the main figures in Russia’s scheme to circumvent sanctions via cryptocurrency is Ilan Shor. He created a network of crypto companies, A7, whose transactions over the past year and a half have exceeded $8 billion. The primary platform for this financial infrastructure has been Kyrgyzstan; however, a recent leak from Shor’s network showed that his crypto system has also taken root in Hungary.
