US Sanctions 7 People, 1 Entity For Alleged Russian Influence Effort In Moldova - Treasury

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published June 05, 2023 | 09:15 PM

The United States sanctioned seven people and one entity tied to an alleged Russian influence campaign in Moldova earlier this year, the US Treasury Department said on Monday.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) The United States sanctioned seven people and one entity tied to an alleged Russian influence campaign in Moldova earlier this year, the US Treasury Department said on Monday.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated seven leading members of a "malign influence group" linked to Russian intelligence services, as well as one related entity, for their alleged role in destabilization and influence campaigns in Moldova, the Treasury Department said in a statement.

"Russia's attempted influence operations exploit the concerns of the citizens of these countries, to destabilize legitimately elected governments for Moscow's own interests. The United States remains committed, along with the EU, to target individuals who engage in such activities against the government of Moldova," US Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in the statement.

The sanctioned actors are allegedly part of a broader global information operation by Russia that targets Ukraine, Moldova, Balkan countries, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the US, the statement said.

The so-called "malign influence operatives" allegedly analyze countries vulnerable to exploitation and stoke fears that undermine faith in democratic principles, the statement said.

The sanctioned actors allegedly plotted to capitalize on protests in Moldova in February and March of this year, with the aim of manufacturing an insurrection against the Moldovan government, the statement said.

Sanctioned individuals include: Konstantin Sapozhnikov, the alleged leader of the group tasked with destabilizing the Moldovan government; Yury Makolov; Gleb Khloponin; Svetlana Boyko; Aleksey Losev; Vasily Gromovikov; and Anna Travnikova, according to the statement.

In addition, the US sanctioned Perko Julleuchter, a ceramic lantern production workshop owned by Losev, the statement said.