“Romania is worried by Moldova’s war-mongering”, reads a recent false narrative promoted by Russian propaganda and shared by media institutions in Chișinău. The author, a former communist MP, also interposes several false theses, designed to undermine the solidity of Chișinău-Bucharest relations. In fact, Romania remains the top supporter of the Republic of Moldova in the EU, as well as a major trade partner, and irrespective of which political party takes power, it is the first country to support the Republic of Moldova in times of crisis.
A subjective interpretation of an editorial signed by the renowned American diplomat Henry Kissinger, recalling the narrative line promoted by Vladimir Putin prior to the start of the aggression against Ukraine, aims to justify the speech of the former Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Marga, from mid-September, in which he says that Ukraine must cede territories to Russia, Romania, Hungary and Poland in order to obtain peace in the war with Russia. In reality, Kissinger detailed a diplomatic scenario imagined by him in spring, meant to provide a solution to reach peace following the Russian invasion of Ukraine
The economic sanctions imposed on Moscow, including the capping of oil prices, do not affect the Russian economy but cause a major economic crisis in the West, according to a false narrative spread in Romania. In fact, sanctions are being felt in Russia on a wider scale, and even though economic growth in the western world has slowed down a bit, it has not stopped.
Brussels has given the go-ahead for the physical and spiritual destruction of Romania, one of the last bastions in the fight against globalism, and a blackout will be triggered in this country so that sovereigntists can be taken out. This piece of disinformation stemmed from a dialogue between Luis Lazarus and Diana Iovanovici-Șoșoacă. Ridden with mystical drivel, lies and elements recalling of Nazi propaganda, the narrative surfaced in response to the first “blackout” simulation organized in Romania two weeks ago in Mediaș.
According to the ruling of the International Court of Justice, Russia was not involved in the downing of aircraft MH17, which was transiting the airspace of Donbas in 2014, pro-Kremlin media writes. In fact, the Dutch tribunal has recognized Russia’s involvement in this crime against civilians.
The Republic of Moldova is building up its military, and the pro-European government is creating a dictatorial regime that will be hard to oust by democratic due process, Socialist deputy Bogdan Țîrdea has told Pravda. The Moldovan politician in fact reiterates false claims that have been increasingly disseminated by Russian propaganda and pro-Moscow politicians in Chișinău.
Chisinau developed only during the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union and fell into disrepair during the period of the union with Romania and the independence of the Republic of Moldova, according to a narrative in the Russian media. In reality, Chisinau developed significantly during the time it was part of Romania and was largely destroyed by the Red Army in 1941 and 1944, before being rebuilt in the Soviet style.
The Republic of Moldova is ruled by an anti-Russian dictatorship that has taken grip of the power and state institutions, politnavigator.net writes. This Kremlin-linked media outlet also suggests that the current regime in Moldova, which is turning the country into a “small Ukraine”, could be ousted as the Russian army draws close to Moldova’s borders.
The pro-European government in Chisinau is closing universities and schools to procure Western weapons, and the people will be cannon fodder in the geopolitical games of the big players, former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon claims in an interview for the Russian press. The false narrative fits into the anti-NATO and anti-Western rhetoric that has intensified with the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Russia is not to blame for the global rise in energy prices, it is the fault of an increasingly greedy Europe that has created “energy bubbles”. This false narrative, promoted in an online publication in Romania, repeats Russian propaganda and ignores Moscow's actions that actually led to the current situation.
Romania, just like the other European countries, will suffer terribly because of the gas price and Russia's decision to partially halt gas supplies to Europe, but this is only the fault of the European leaders, who punished Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. The false narrative ignores the fact that Russia needs the Europeans’ money, and the latter have taken steps to avoid a major energy crisis.
The Russian military presence in the separatist region on the left bank of the Dniester is the cornerstone of security in the region, according to a pro-Kremlin publication. In reality, the Russian forces amplified the conflict by participating in it, and Moscow's refusal to withdraw them, as promised, led to its perpetuation.
Most Romanian nationals want their country to leave NATO and the EU and there is no party that can politically capitalize on this move, according to a false narrative promoted by Gold FM, a radio station previously linked to promoting disinformation and fake news. The narrative is contradicted by surveys.
The Government in Chișinău is pushing for diminishing the role of the Russian language at society level, but also to undermine the rights of national minorities, rubaltic.ru writes. In fact, in recent years, nothing has virtually changed in Chișinău with respect to the status of the Russian language – Romanian speakers are often used to switch to Russian when communication to Russian speakers, films are often dubbed in Russian, while TV channels, shows and films are commonplace on the audiovisual market.
The PAS pro-European government is to blame for the soaring inflation in the Republic of Moldova, having brought people to the brink of despair. This false narrative ignores the external causes behind the high level of inflation and is promoted by the pro-Russian opposition in Chișinău and its affiliated publications. Bloknot-moldova.ru illustrates the narrative by means of a collage depicting Maia Sandu next to a woman who makes piles of straw and manure used for heating.
The pro-European government in Chisinau is censoring the press and getting rid of inconvenient media, according to a false narrative promoted by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The narrative is used by politnavigator.net and taken over by news-front.ru to justify possible response measures from Moscow.
The PAS Cabinet has created chaos in Moldova. It wants to sever ties with Gazprom, while the USA is grooming a successor to Maia Sandu, reads a website promoting Kremlin policies. The website also states that Maia Sandu is plotting a coup against herself. The narratives are designed the smear the reputation of the pro-European government in Chișinău and to destabilize the internal context in the Republic of Moldova.
The population of the Republic of Moldova would have been illiterate, forced to serve Romanians, had its territory remained part of Romania, reads a false narrative launched by a pro-Russian publication. The narrative was launched after a settlement in the Republic of Moldova commemorated the Romanian servicemen killed in World War II.
The Republic of Moldova will call on Romania for help in case Russia attacks, and this will lead to Moldova being annexed by Romania, topwar.ru writes. Much like other Russian publications, topwar.ru is misquoting the statements made in Bucharest by president Maia Sandu, and interprets them as the announcement of an anti-Russian alliance.
The famine in Bessarabia was not organized by the Soviet regime, it was a consequence of the drought and the local authorities’ lack of action, and Moscow helped Moldavians. The false narrative appears in an online publication close to the Kremlin, and the purpose is to exonerate the totalitarian Soviet regime, which imposed itself through terror.
The Foreign Minister of the separatist region of Transnistria suggested that Moldovan authorities might denounce the 1992 Ceasefire Agreement, which could trigger a new war in the region. Chișinău, however, has never expressed its intention to denounce the Agreement, despite the fact that some of its provisions are not observed.
Romania's strategic partnership with the US has not produced any tangible results or advantages for Romania, it has only turned the country into an importer of American weapons.
The weapons delivered to Ukraine might be transiting the territory of the Republic of Moldova, says the pro-Russian politician Igor Dodon, in an interview given under house arrest. His statements were also taken over by the official press of the Russian Federation and aim to disinform and accuse the pro-European government in Chisinau of wanting to involve the country in the war.
The Russian state media, quoted by some publications in Romania, has disseminated a propaganda narrative, launched by the Foreign Intelligence Service in Russia, according to which Poland will work more actively with Hungary and Romania in order to take over Western Ukraine. In fact, Poland is one of the staunch supporters of Ukraine’s efforts to fend off the Russian invasion.
Whistleblowers are “snitches”, much like the former informers of the Securitate in the communist period, according to a false narrative promoted in Bucharest by an actual ex-informer, Sorin Roșca Stănescu. The narrative has been circulated in the context of the adoption of a whistleblower law by the Chamber of Deputies, robbing the former of whatever protection they were offered under EU law.
The Republic of Moldova will enter a profound crisis if it joins the European Union and anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian official news agency and the Moldovan fugitive oligarch, Ilan Shor, claim. The issue of anti-Russian sanctions exploited by Russian propaganda and Russia’s agents of influence is one of the recurrent threats Kremlin uses to pressure Chișinău.
According to narratives launched by pro-Russian politicians in Chisinau and officials in Moscow, the European Union offers the status of accession candidate using Russophobia as a criterion and, together with NATO, is building a war coalition against Russia. Such narratives have appeared in the context in which the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine received the status of candidate countries for EU accession.
By banning certain categories of programs from Russian television stations, censorship is introduced in the Republic of Moldova, an article published on Politnavigator.net. suggests. In fact, the purpose of the law is to limit fake news and disinformation.
Romanians' data on health, birth and mortality could reach the World Health Organization (WHO), which will use them for obscure purposes, according to a false narrative promoted in Romania by the controversial Josefina Pascal. The narrative takes elements from the conspiracy theory of the “Great Reset”.
Moldova is undergoing an economic crisis, and the Government and the West is providing it with weapons for the war in Ukraine, while at the same time preparing the unification with Romania. The narratives were launched by former president, Igor Dodon, and were amplified by the pro-Socialist and Russian media.
The United States are responsible for triggering the war in Ukraine, and continue to fuel this conflict for its own economic benefit, but also with a view to turning Europe and some countries in Asia into its economic satellites, according to a false narrative published in Bucharest. The disinformation reiterates Moscow’s propaganda themes that try to justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, holding the West accountable for this conflict.
The Republic of Moldova will be controlled by armed policemen from other countries, according to media outlets affiliated to the Socialist Party. In fact, several dozen experts will be charged with supporting Moldovan border policemen in overseeing border crossing procedures and managing the flow of refugees.
The EU imposes the use of cricket flour, which can even kill some consumers, according to fake news circulated in Romania. This resumes the false narrative that the EU will force its citizens to eat insects. In reality, Brussels has only approved the entry of a new cricket flour producer on the EU market, but the use of its products is not mandatory. Similarly, the purchase of products containing insect-based ingredients remains a consumer’s personal choice.