TikTok accounts in Gagauzia, some created on the very day the election campaign began, are promoting the candidacy of Fiodor Găgăuz, backed by the Party of Socialists, for the post of governor (bashkan). The 20 anonymous profiles identified amassed more than 145,000 views, around 500 comments and over 3,400 shares in just six days. The posting of identical videos, the use of the same hashtags and interactions between the accounts suggest possible coordinated inauthentic behavior, reports veridic.md, citing an analysis by Watchdog.
The election campaign for the post of governor of Gagauzia appears to have moved, at least in part, from the campaign trail to TikTok. At the heart of this activity is Fiodor Găgăuz, the candidate backed by the Party of Socialists.
The analysis identified 20 anonymous accounts systematically sharing videos supportive of the candidate. Some of these accounts were created on the same day, just minutes apart, and later began posting similar content and interacting with one another.
The activity of these profiles raises questions about how election campaigning is organized on social media platforms and how transparent the use of any resources involved is.
TikTok Accounts in Gagauzia: How Election Campaigning Began
On October 16, 2026, the day the election campaign began, several accounts with names referencing Gagauzia and southern Moldova began appearing on TikTok.
The first of the identified profiles, “Găgăuzia Forever,” appeared at 5:38 p.m.
At 18:00, “Moldova Gagauzia” was created, followed at 18:11 by “The Pulse of Gagauzia.”
A minute later, “Găgăuzia Mereuță” appeared.
At 18:53, “South at Home” was created, followed two minutes later by “Gagauzia Non-stop”.
The series continued at 19:23, when “Găgăuzia Navsegda” appeared, and at 20:04, with the creation of the “Găgăuzia Zoom” profile.
Over the following days, additional accounts were identified, bringing the total number of profiles analyzed to 20.
Their names follow a similar pattern: “Gagauzia Forever,” “Gagauzia Navsegda,” “Gagauzia Live,” “Gagauzia Radar,” “Sud Prime,” and other combinations featuring the words “Gagauzia” or “Sud” (“South”).
The appearance of several accounts within a short period does not, in itself, prove the existence of a coordinated network. However, similarities in their activity become more apparent when the content they publish is examined.
The same videos shared across multiple profiles
One of the most noticeable common features is the repeated sharing of the same videos.
For example, a clip from an interview Fiodor Găgăuz gave to journalist Gheorghe Gonța appears on several of the identified accounts.
Another video, in which the Socialist candidate appears alongside PSRM leader Igor Dodon, is being shared in a similar pattern.
The material was found on profiles such as “Găgăuzia Forever”, “Pulsul Găgăuziei”, “Găgăuzia Zoom”, “Găgăuzia Navsegda”, “Găgăuzia Non-stop”, “Găgăuzia Live”, “From Găgăuzia”, “Găgăuzia Mereuță”, “Sud Prime” and other accounts examined.
The same is true of the videos showing Fiodor Găgăuz taking part in election campaign activities in towns and villages across the autonomous region.
In some cases, the posts contain nearly identical descriptions and the same hashtags.
These include the candidate’s name and the name of the region, making it easier for users interested in the topic to find the videos.
Repeating content across multiple profiles can help amplify election messages and increase views.
Anonymous accounts follow one another and comment on each other’s posts.
An analysis of the 20 TikTok accounts in Gagauzia shows that their similarities extend beyond the content they post.
Most of the identified accounts follow one another. Some share both content from other accounts in the group and posts from a profile believed to belong to candidate Fiodor Găgăuz.
In addition, the accounts interact with one another through comments.
For example, the profiles “Găgăuzia Mereuță”, “Moldova Găgăuzia” and “Găgăuzia Radar” commented on a post published by “Găgăuzia Live”.
In another instance, a post on “Găgăuzia Zoom” drew comments from other profiles identified in the analysis, including “Găgăuzia Live”.
Such interactions can help increase the visibility of posts and broaden the reach of electoral messages.
Posting the same content, using similar descriptions, and interacting with one another are signs consistent with possible coordinated inauthentic behavior.
Still, these observations do not establish who runs the accounts, whether they share a coordinator, or whether the activity is organized by the candidate’s campaign team.
Over 145,000 views in just six days
As of October 21, 2026, when the research for this analysis was conducted, the 20 identified accounts had collectively amassed:
These results were achieved in just six days.
The size of the audience is striking, given that the autonomous region of Gagauzia has just over 100,000 inhabitants.
However, the number of views should not be confused with the number of people who watched the content. The same user may watch several videos or generate multiple views.
Moreover, the available data do not allow us to determine how many users in Gagauzia saw the posts.
Even with these limitations, the figures point to extensive distribution of materials supporting the Socialist candidate.
Who is behind the promotion of Fiodor Găgăuz?
Managing multiple accounts involves selecting videos, writing descriptions, publishing content, and engaging with users.
All these activities require time and resources.
This raises questions about who manages the profiles and what costs may be involved in promoting them.
During election campaigns, promotional expenses must be reported as required by law if they are incurred for the benefit of an electoral contestant and can be attributed to their campaign.
For anonymous accounts, identifying their administrators and funding sources is more difficult.
It is unclear whether the profiles are run by volunteers or paid individuals, or whether there is a shared coordination structure.
Furthermore, the information reviewed does not establish a direct financial or organizational link between these accounts and candidate Fiodor Găgăuz or the Party of Socialists.
Clarifying these issues could help establish whether the online promotion is an independent initiative by supporters or an organized electoral campaign.
TikTok and Elections: A Phenomenon Seen in Other Campaigns Too
Political promotion through anonymous accounts is not an isolated phenomenon.
In Romania, the use of TikTok in Călin Georgescu’s election campaign sparked controversy over the transparency of political advertising and the influence of digital platforms on electoral processes.
The phenomenon was also observed in the Republic of Moldova during the 2025 parliamentary elections.
At the time, anonymous TikTok accounts helped spread content supporting the “Democracy at Home” Party far and wide, racking up millions of views.
These precedents do not prove that the profiles promoting Fiodor Găgăuz operate in the same way or share a common origin.
They show, however, that social media platforms have become an important tool for electoral communication, including through accounts whose administrators are not publicly known.
What the 20 TikTok accounts in Gagauzia reveal
The analysis reveals several shared characteristics among the profiles promoting Fiodor Găgăuz’s candidacy: they were created within a short period, share the same videos, use similar descriptions and hashtags, and interact with one another.
In six days, the 20 accounts amassed more than 145,000 views and 3,400 shares.
These findings suggest a possible coordinated effort to amplify electoral messaging.
At the same time, they do not make it possible to identify the individuals behind the accounts or establish whether they share a common source of funding.
The key question remains who runs these profiles and whether the promotion of the Socialist candidate is being coordinated outside the official channels for reporting campaign spending.