For those following the war front in Ukraine, you may want to watch a second front, one ramped up by Moscow last year in neighboring Moldova. There the Russian weapons are not arms but lies, aimed at swaying public opinion to prevent the former Soviet republic from joining NATO or the European Union. And like Ukraine as it rolls out its military offensive, Moldova has launched its own campaign – that of truth-telling to counter the missiles of words in a Russian information war.
The latest move from Moldova to ensure its citizens receive facts over falsehoods came last month. President Maia Sandu set up a government institution, dubbed the Patriot Center, with the primary task of disseminating “truthful information” in addition to debunking fake news from Russia. “Russia cannot attack our country through military means, so it keeps attacking us through lies, propaganda, and disinformation,” President Sandu said.
The government is trying to be preventive, not just reactive. After the invasion of Ukraine, it set up a Telegram channel to verify information on that social media platform. It has curtailed pro-Russia television stations, given that about a third of Moldova’s 2.6 million people had a pro-Russia orientation before the war in Ukraine. In June, the populist pro-Russia Sor Party was banned by the Constitutional Court.
Both the EU and the United States are supporting Moldova’s truth campaign, such as giving money for independent journalism that can uncover Russian propaganda. “Moldova is the second country after Ukraine which suffers most from the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign,” says Petru Macovei, head of the Association of Independent Press.
In March, U.S. Maj. Gen. William Hartman, commander of the Cyber National Mission Force, visited the country. This month, Austria said it will send about 40 law enforcement officers and service members to Moldova to help it fight disinformation and data breaches.
The government relies heavily on the notion that truth will prevail. “I am absolutely confident that people understand what propaganda, manipulations and disinformation mean,” says Interior Minister Ana Revenco. “If we start working on that level, this action will be quite visible.”
The result of the truth campaign may be paying off. A poll by WatchDog.MD in April found increasing support in Moldova for joining the EU and joining NATO. Democracy survives on truth-telling, and so far, Moldova seems to be winning a war for truth against Russian lies.