WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on individuals and entities involved in what it described as Russia’s malign influence operations in Moldova as well as systemic corruption in the small eastern European country.
The individuals sanctioned, a mix of Russian and Moldovan officials, include oligarchs “widely recognized for capturing and corrupting Moldova’s political and economic institutions and those acting as instruments of Russia’s global influence campaign,” the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.
The designations also include former Moldovan parliament member Vladimir Plahotniuc, who has manipulated “key sectors of Moldova’s government, including the law enforcement, electoral and judicial sectors,” the statement said.
There was no immediate comment from Russia or Moldova.
Moldova, which borders Ukraine and Romania, applied for European Union membership this year and strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, moves that angered Moscow.
(Reporting by Caitlin Webber and Rami AyyubEditing by Bernadette Baum)
