Revealed: How Moldova’s fugitive oligarch used fake identities and covert Kremlin meetings to influence the country’s political landscape and undermine its pro-European aspirations
As extradition proceedings continue and Moldova’s parliamentary elections draw near, the full extent of Plahotniuc’s secret Kremlin ties is only beginning to emerge.
Moldovan tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of the most powerful and divisive politicians and businessman in the country, was arrested in Athens in July 2025 at the request of the Republic of Moldova. His arrest capped years of intrigue, behind-the-scenes manipulation, and secret diplomacy, which revealed close ties between the Kremlin and the Moldovan oligarch. Information compiled by investigative journalists, including flight records and intercepted calls, showed how Plahotniuc frequently flew to Moscow on false papers, having clandestine meetings with Dmitry Kozak, deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration, one of the key players in Moscow’s policy towards Moldova.
Plahotniuc, ever since last summer of 2024, who traveled on a false Russian passport in…