The government of Moldova is expelling 45 Russian diplomats, accusing them of "unfriendly behavior" and "attempts to destabilize" the country on the international level.
Russia attempted to capitalize on the protests in Moldova order to weaken support for democratic governance and spread instability throughout the country.
The United States imposed sanctions on Monday on members of a Russian intelligence-linked group for their role in Moscow's efforts to destabilize democracy and influence elections in Moldova, the Treasury Department said. The new sanctions target seven Russian individuals, some of whom maintain ties to Russian intelligence services, the department said in a statement.