The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova has declared three Russian diplomats persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country. According to Russian Ambassador Oleg Oserov, one of the diplomats is a co-chair of the control commission that deals with the Transnistria conflict resolution.
Moscow is expected to respond to the expulsion of its diplomats, a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to RIA Nowosti said.
Moldova claims to have evidence of the activities of these diplomats, which contradict their diplomatic status. As reported by Alexandru Musteața, the Director of the Moldovan Information and Security Service, the Russian Embassy had helped an opposition member evade punishment. The individual in question is Alexandr Nesterovschi, a member of the national parliament from the Pobeda (Victory) opposition faction. He had allegedly entered the Russian Embassy a day before his sentencing and left the building in a car with diplomatic license plates to Transnistria the next day. The Russian side has described these allegations as unfounded and unacceptable.
A court in Chisinau had sentenced Nesterovschi in absentia to 12 years in prison on March 19, finding him guilty of “passive corruption” and “acceptance of financial means in favor of a political party from a criminal organization” by a court. His lawyer emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin had granted Nesterovschi Russian citizenship.
In the summer of 2023, Moldova had expelled 45 Russian diplomats. In response, Moscow banned 18 members of the Moldovan parliament from entering Russia. However, Russian diplomats were again expelled from Moldova in 2024.