Russia’s campaign in Southeast Europe
“These people are mercenaries in a hybrid war”
09/27/2025 – 8:55 a.m.Reading time: 7 min.
The Republic of Moldova would like to become the easternmost part of the EU. But Russia tries to prevent that. How much it affects the upcoming elections can be observed, especially in the Gagausia region.
Simon Cleven reports from Cocrat and Congaz.
Mihail Sirkeli is a strong man with an even stronger laugh that can easily infect. And the journalist laughs a lot – even if his listeners can quickly laugh at his throat in view of the seriousness of his topics.
Sirkeli runs one of the few pro -western media in the city of Comrat in the Moldovian region of Gagausia. The “Nokta” portal not only spreads news from gagausia. Sirkeli also comments on talk shows and podcasts the current political situation of the country, often with a wink. Not everyone likes his perspective. He often experiences online threats or criticism on the open street. Sirkeli just laughs away. But the situation in his home country is also difficult.
At the end of this week in Moldova and Russia is trying to strengthen pro -Russian forces in parliament. The Kremlin invests a lot of money for this. With regard to the votes, observers and participants keep talking about a choice of fate: stays on the EU course or does Moscow manage to torpedo the process?
This would not only be a security risk for the EU, but also for Ukraine that borders on Moldova in the southwest. A destabilization of the country would additionally burden the NATO east flank. In addition, the Kremlin would be easier for the Kremlin against neighboring countries. There is a threat of a domino effect. And Gagausia could be a key to the Kremlin.
Because even now in Gagausia you can hardly notice that in Moldau Parliament a pro -European, Romanian -speaking party, the partidul acțiune și Solidaritaten (party of action and solidarity, or PAS), has the absolute majority. Advertising boards, street names, election campaign posters – all of this read people mostly in Cyrillic letters. The “Patriotic Block” election association, for example, advertises in the capital Comrat in Russian: “We believe in Moldova!” Experts clearly assign leader Igor Dodon and the other parties of the “block” to the ProDusian camp.
