Matryoshka’s Moldovan manipulation

In recent days, the Kremlin-backed Matryoshka disinformation network has launched a new blitz aimed squarely at Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, just before EU-Moldova Summit in Chișinău on 4 July, 2025. What is a high-profile diplomatic event without a dose of Russian Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)?

According to an investigation by The Insider (read their full report here), the latest Russian FIMI campaign is being pushed through a series of fake videos disseminated on social media. One is a fake clip falsely claiming that HRVP Kaja Kallas has suddenly refused to attend the summit, allegedly due to some deep, mysterious rift with Sandu. The video is branded as a report from The Insider itself, in an effort to make it look official.

Conspiracy of a fabricated feud

The Matryoshka bots also float the absurd claim that Sandu is trying to replace Kallas as head of the EU’s diplomatic service, claiming they uncovered ‘proof’ of Sandu’s supposed scheming. Spoiler alert: this evidence does not exist. The fictional rivalry between Sandu and Kallas has been spread by the Matryoshka network since late May, with a peak in coordinated activity on 19 June, just in time for the EU-Moldova Summit. This goes hand in hand with other Kremlin disinformation narratives on the upcoming high-level event, such as falsely spreading the claim that the EU-Moldova Summit is an attempt by Brussels to interfere in the Moldovan elections.

False narratives to undermine trust

Other false stories in the Matryoshka campaign include a video, disguised as a Euronews report, that claims Romanian intelligence warned of a ‘terrorist threat’ at the summit, while another clip, pretending to be from the French news site Le Point, alleges that EU officials are ready to remove Sandu from office for failing to steer Moldova on a European path.

The bots have also accused Sandu’s government of corruption, wasting money on the EU summit, and creating ‘ghost voters’ by extending the country’s legal period for registering a death.

What is the Matryoshka network?

Matryoshka is an ongoing disinformation campaign that began in September 2023. It operates in two coordinated phases. First, a small group of social media accounts post fake content, primarily false news reports or fabricated images. Then, another group (‘quoters’) amplifies this content by replying to posts from public figures, media outlets, and fact-checkers, often tagging them or asking them to verify the material.

The content typically impersonates trusted Western media and institutions, using their visual styles to appear credible. In the past, it has primarily spread anti-Ukrainian messages, discredited public figures, and promoted pro-Russian narratives. Much of this material originates from Russian-language Telegram channels and is believed to be created or distributed through coordinated efforts, possibly involving paid actors. The goal of the campaign is to manipulate online discourse and undermine trust in legitimate information sources.

FIMI strikes ahead of elections

In short, the Matryoshka network has once again proven its intention to mislead and confuse the public, spreading disinformation, and undermining Moldova’s efforts to align more closely with the EU. With each fabricated video and false claim, the aim is to create confusion, erode confidence in Moldova’s democracy, and destabilise the country’s position within Europe. All while undermining the upcoming elections. As the vote draws nearer, it is evident that Russia’s information warfare apparatus is prepared to craft any narrative that can weaken trust in Moldova’s democratic institutions and its European aspirations.

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Article and pictures first time published on the EUvsDisinfo web page. Prepared for publication by volunteers from the Res Publica - The Center for Civil Resistance.