Moldova's president accuses Russia of plotting to destabilize the country
From CNN's Radina Gigova in London
Moldova's President Maia Sandu accused Russia on Monday of planning to use "saboteurs who have undergone military training and are disguised as civilians" to destabilize the country, echoing a claim made days earlier by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"In the past few days, there have been discussions in our society about the security of our country," Sandu said in an address to the citizens of Moldova, published on the presidential website. "The statements of President Zelensky about the plans of the Russian Federation to destabilize the Republic of Moldova have been confirmed by our institutions."
"Russia's plan to carry out subversive actions on the territory of our state is not new," she said. "Attempts to destabilize the situation and undermine the state were also made last autumn, but they did not achieve their goal thanks to the prompt intervention of our security and public order agencies."
Sandu went on to say that last fall, in anticipation of an energy crisis, there was a plan for "a series of actions involving saboteurs who have undergone military training and are disguised as civilians to carry out violent actions, attacks on government buildings and hostage-taking."
Sandu also claimed individuals disguised as "the so-called opposition" were going to try forcing a change of power in Chisinau through "violent actions."
CNN is unable to independently verify those claims.
Some more context: On Thursday, Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence intercepted a Russian plan to destabilize Moldova.
On Friday, the prime minister of Moldova and her cabinet resigned – just hours after a Russian cruise missile crossed over the country's territory. The foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador over what it said was an "unacceptable violation of our airspace by a Russian missile.".
CNN also reached out to the Russian foreign ministry for comment on the allegations by Sandu and Zelensky.