Moldova: Undercover probe exposes pro-Russian troll farm
An undercover investigation by the Moldovan newspaper Ziarul de Gardă (ZdG) has exposed a troll network, allegedly operated by associates of fugitive politician Ilan Șor from Russia.
The operation aims to spread disinformation and Russian propaganda on social media, influencing public opinion and undermining Moldova's European integration efforts. The findings reveal a concerted pro-Kremlin campaign to destabilise the country's political landscape.
The investigation’s author, journalist Natalia Zaharescu, revealed on Moldova 1 how she infiltrated the network and how the Moscow-coordinated group attempts to undermine Moldova’s electoral processes.
"It's important to bring the truth to light," she stated.
The network, coordinated via secret Telegram channels, has been creating fake social media accounts that appear realistic and spreading false narratives on TikTok and Facebook. Its primary weapon is fear, used to amplify the impact of disinformation.
"The preparations began very early, just days after the presidential elections," Zaharescu explained. "Activists were invited for training and taught in detail how to use social media, create posts and videos. They were then given texts to modify, using AI to save time. These were posted the same day to all network accounts."
"The operation began with a small group, which was later expanded to include more and more operatives. They operate on command."
The operatives are instructed to act in a coordinated manner, posting messages to amplify false narratives and achieve maximum impact.
"The goal is to portray Moldova as a dictatorship with censorship," Zaharescu said. "They also label European political leaders as 'globalists'—their term—to frame them as enemies."
The investigation found that although the social media activities were initially claimed to be voluntary, participants were being paid with money "from Moscow."
"The training began with the clear message that no money would be paid," Zaharescu said. "But as soon as we started those evening discussions, people began asking about money. After a few months of training, it was explicitly stated that payments came directly from Moscow."
Zaharescu herself was close to receiving a payment when her identity was discovered.
"I was on the verge of receiving a payment, having already been asked for my bank and personal details, when they realised I was a journalist," she said. "Therefore, I couldn't get exact proof of the payments, but the evidence is very clear that the operatives are being compensated."
The money is believed to have come from accounts at the Russian bank Promsvyazbank or even in the form of cryptocurrency.
"It's difficult for a journalist to document this," Zaharescu said. "There are unpleasant situations, such as having to listen to hours of propaganda and seeing people humble themselves before Russian 'curators' just to show loyalty. But it's important to reveal what happened."
Zaharescu encouraged viewers to watch the full investigation to see how the Moscow-coordinated network is trying to impede Moldova’s European path.
"It's a lengthy investigation, but we insisted on showing everything we uncovered and didn't hide a single detail. We illustrated every relevant finding," she concluded.
The ZdG investigation reveals the network, which is coordinated from Moscow by fugitive Ilan Șor, has continued its operations even after the presidential elections. Its goal is to "lay the groundwork" for taking power after the September 28 election. As a result, hundreds of fake accounts run by real activists from the "Victory" Bloc were created to spread Russian propaganda. All actions are coordinated via secret Telegram channels by Russian-speaking individuals.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
Potrivit unei noi investigații sub acoperire realizate de ZdG, rețeaua coordonată de fugarul Ilan Șor de la Moscova a continuat să activeze și după alegerile prezidențiale, cu scopul de a „pregăti terenul” pentru a prelua puterea după scrutinul din 28 septembrie.
Astfel, sute de conturi cu identități false, în spatele cărora stau activiști reali ai Blocului „Victorie”, au fost create pentru a răspândi propagandă rusească pe TikTok și Facebook. Toate acțiunile sunt coordonate prin canale secrete de pe Telegram de persoane vorbitoare de limba rusă.
Menționăm că investigația realizată de colegii de la „Ziarul de Gardă” – „Armata digitală a Kremlinului” - va fi difuzată joi, 4 septembrie, la Moldova 1, de la ora 21:45.
