Russia continues to subvert democracy in Moldova and Georgia

Excerpt

America isn’t the only country that just held a consequential election. In the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Georgia, citizens recently voted in contests where aspirations to join the West were on the ballot. In both cases, Russia appears to have sought to influence the outcomes, as Moscow has done in the U.S. and many other countries.

Vladimir Putin aims to keep Moldova and Georgia under his thumb — and the electoral results from both countries suggest his strategy is working. America and its European partners need to more actively support of democratic movements in Moldova, Georgia and other countries seeking to escape Russia’s orbit.

While Russia’s military presence in Moldova and Georgia represents its chief source of leverage in those countries, armed force isn’t the only tool at Putin’s disposal. In both nations, Russian spies, troll farms and Kremlin cronies are fueling separatist and anti-Western sentiment and interfering in political processes. By exploiting local cleavages and corruption, Moscow is stoking political discontent and advancing Russian influence.