Two foreign citizens – a Russian and a Belarusian – organized a training camp in Serbia, where over 150 Moldovans were trained for destabilizing actions in the context of the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, according to the IPN news agency.
The Russian citizen, Serghei Andreenkov, a member of the ruling party United Russia and advisor to the occupation administration in the Ukrainian region of Kharkov, along with the Belarusian Aliaksandr Hontarau, coordinated the training held near the town of Loznica, Serbia. According to local security services data, the purpose of the training was to prepare participants for inciting violence and mass disturbances in case of an electoral result unfavorable to pro-Russian forces.
Regional experts, such as Ivan Miletic and journalists from the BIRN network, confirm that such camps have operated in Serbia in previous years, being used to train groups of Moldovans and Romanians in combat techniques, resistance to law enforcement forces, and handling firearms. Participants were reportedly paid amounts between 300 and 400 euros, some even in cryptocurrencies.
In the Republic of Moldova, law enforcement forces detained 74 people suspected of having been trained in Serbia, as part of a criminal case regarding attempts to destabilize the September 28th vote. According to the PCCOCS, the case targets a total of 111 people, and as a result of the searches, weapons, ammunition, tents, and military equipment were seized.
Serbian authorities have confirmed the detention of the two foreign trainers, and the Serbian foreign minister, Marko Djuric, stated that Serbia supports the territorial integrity of Moldova and will not allow its territory to be used for hostile actions against other European states.
On election day, the Moldovan police announced the detention of three people suspected of involvement in destabilization plans, among them two brothers employed by the force structures in the Transnistrian region.