CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovans are casting ballots in nationwide local elections on Sunday as authorities say that Russia has been conducting “hybrid warfare” to undermine the vote in the European Union candidate country. While local elections in Moldova, a country of about 2.5 million people situated between Romania and Ukraine, wouldn't usually garner much international attention, ongoing accusations of Russian meddling add a geopolitical dimension to the vote. On Friday, Moldova’s national intelligence agency published a report alleging that Russia was trying to “influence the electoral process” through the party. Shor was the head of the Russia-friendly Shor Party, which was declared unconstitutional in June by Moldova’s Constitutional Court. “Russia has always been trying to undermine democratic elections in Moldova, particularly in an effort to derail European integration aspirations,” Cantir said.

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