An undercover police operation has exposed a scheme to coordinate protests in Chisinau by a Russian citizen, according to the head of the General Police Inspectorate (IGP), Viorel Cernăuțeanu. Through an agent who infiltrated the group responsible for organizing the protests, the police identified the Russian citizen as the coordinator of the destabilizing actions.

Cernăuțeanu revealed that 25 people were questioned and seven were detained as leaders of criminal groups, most of whom cooperated with the law enforcement and gave statements. The detained individuals were reportedly athletes and people with criminal records.

"The person from the Russian Federation who planned and was going to ensure the destabilization of public order came into contact with our undercover agent who was infiltrated in this group. This citizen visited Moldova in January with a different passport," said Cernăuțeanu.

According to the IGP head, the plan was to have 10 groups consisting of 5 to 10 people who were to be accommodated at certain addresses in Chisinau. The Russian citizen was tasked with giving instructions to each representative of these groups, who were to participate in the protests, with the aim of destabilizing public order. Undercover agents from the Moldovan police were infiltrated at these addresses. Each representative was to be remunerated with amounts of up to 10 thousand dollars.

Cernăuțeanu added that since the autumn of 2022, information has emerged about the organization of mass disturbances during protests by certain parties. It was later established that special services from the Russian Federation are involved in this organizational process.