Moldovan police say people trained in Russia for Moldovan protests
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Law enforcement officers stand guard at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Tiraspol in Moldova's region of Transnistria, April 27, 2022. (Reuters/Vladislav Bachev)
CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldovan police said on Thursday they had uncovered a scheme involving people being regularly sent to Russia for training in how to take part in protests and other civil unrest inside Moldova.
The group responsible for organising the training is linked to fugitive pro-Kremlin businessman Ilan Shor, the police told a news briefing.
"The anti-corruption prosecutor's office is currently conducting an investigation into several criminal cases related to the preparation of mass disturbance in the interests of the criminal community," prosecutor Victor Furtuna said.
Authorities said people were being regularly taken in groups of about 20 for training in Russia since June. In total, they said about 300 people had taken part in the training.
Officials said they could provide limited information at present due to the ongoing investigation.
Shor, a pro-Russian business magnate, was sentenced last year in absentia to 15 years in prison in connection with the disappearance from the banking system of $1 billion in 2014, dubbed Moldova's "theft of the century".
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Gareth Jones and Mark Potter)
