Moldovan leader outlines Russian ‘plan’ to topple government

By DEEPTI HAJELA and MICHAEL R. SISAK The Associated Press

He said he recognized his father from photos of his arrest, posted on social media.

By STEPHEN McGRATH and CRISTIAN JARDAN The Associated Press

Moldova’s president outlined Monday what she described as a plot by Moscow to overthrow her country’s government using external saboteurs, put the nation “at the disposal of Russia” and derail its aspirations to one day join the European Union.

President Maia Sandu’s briefing comes a week after neighboring Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country had intercepted plans by Russian secret services to destroy Moldova, claims that were later confirmed by Moldovan intelligence officials.

“The plan for the next period involves actions with the involvement of diversionists with military training, camouflaged in civilian clothes, who will undertake violent actions, attack some state buildings, and even take hostages,” Sandu told reporters at a briefing.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago, Moldova, a former Soviet republic of about 2.6 million people, has sought to forge closer ties with its Western partners.

for Valentine’s theme gift cards, which they sell for a small price for people to give to their loved ones.

“We designed about 10 different Valentine-theme cards and a couple of buttons. We are selling them at CSU. One Valentine-themed card for one dollar each,” said Mahboob. “If you buy the card from Hallmark or Target it’s going to cost you about $4 or $5. But we are selling it cheap because we got the resources from the graphic

Last June, it was granted EU candidate status, the same day as Ukraine.

Sandu said the alleged Russian plot’s purpose is “to overthrow the constitutional order, to change the legitimate power from (Moldova’s capital) Chisinau to an illegitimate one,” which she said “which would put our country at the disposal of Russia, in order to stop the European integration process.”

AUREL OBREJA • The Associated Press A man driving a U-Haul truck swerved onto sidewalks and plowed into scooter riders in New York City on Monday, injuring at least eight people before police were able to pin the careening vehicle against a building following a mileslong pursuit.

She defiantly vowed: “The Kremlin’s attempts to bring violence to our country will not succeed.”

There was no immediate reaction from Russian officials to Sandu’s claims.

Sandu said that between October and December Moldovan police and its Intelligence and Security Service, the SIS, have intervened in “several cases of organized criminal elements and stopped attempts at violence.”

Over the past year, non-NATO member Moldova has faced a string of problems.

These include a severe energy crisis after Moscow dramatically reduced gas supplies; skyrocketing inflation; and several incidents in recent months involving missiles that have tra- design lab.”

Mahboob said he is enthusiastic about the trip to a conference, where members of the Graphic Design Club can gain more experience and connect with students from other states.

“I have been to a Portfolio Review Conference that people look up to. But other than that, I haven’t been to a big conference. And I’m excited because I’m traveling out of state to school, and then we’re gonna go with the team, and we’re gonna have fun,” said Mah- versed its skies, and debris that has been found on its territory. boob. “We’re deciding which hotel we’re going to go to. We probably gonna book a flight together and all that is making me excited – going there, seeing different students’ designs firsthand is also exciting.”

Moldovan authorities confirmed that another missile from the war in Ukraine had entered its airspace on Friday.

Last April, tensions in Moldova also soared after a series of explosions in Transnistria — a Russia-backed separatist region of Moldova where Russia bases about 1,500 troops — which had raised fears it could get dragged into Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Transnistria has a population of about 470,000 and has been under the control of separatist authorities since a civil war in 1992.

Sandu claimed that Russia wants to use Moldova in the war against Ukraine, without providing more details, and that information obtained by intelligence services contained what she described as instructions on rules of entry to Moldova for citizens from Russia, Belarus, Serbia, and Montenegro.

“I assure you that the state institutions are working to prevent these challenges and keep the situation under control,” Sandu said.

The Graphic Design Club will have more fundraising coming. Anyone visiting the university can help them raise enough funds to travel to the NSSC, which, according to Mahboob, will benefit students’ experience in the design field greatly.

At least eight people were hurt, including two people who were in critical condition, authorities said. Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell described the driver’s actions as a “violent rampage through Brooklyn” but said there was no evidence of “terrorism involvement.”

The truck sped through the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn before police stopped it more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away near the entrance to a tunnel leading from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

The driver was arrested. Police didn’t immediately identify him, but his son identified him as Weng Sor, and told The Associated Press he had a history of mental illness.

“Very frequently he’ll choose to skip out on his medications and do something like this. This isn’t the first time he’s been arrested. It’s not the first time he’s gone to jail,” said Stephen Sor, 30, in an interview outside his Brooklyn home.

The first report of a truck crashing into pedestrians and cyclists came in at 10:30 a.m., police said, and other reports followed as the vehicle moved through a busy section of Brooklyn.

Katherine Aronova said she saw the U-Haul run a red light, hit a delivery worker on an e-bike in the middle of the road and drag him a short distance.

“His head was covered with blood,” Aronova said. “He was unconscious,” and his shoes were scattered on the sidewalk. “The electric bicycle was destroyed completely.”

A security camera video showed the truck clip a scooter, then swerve onto a sidewalk and nearly plow into a pedestrian, who dived to safety just in time. A police patrol car then followed the truck down the sidewalk at high speed.

“I was in shock and didn’t know what was happening until I saw the police patrol was chasing it,” a witness, Andrea Vasquez, said in Spanish. “Thank God that man saved himself,” she added of the person who narrowly escaped.

Aerial video from news helicopters showed the truck on a sidewalk after the chase ended, its path blocked by a police cruiser. Authorities examined the vehicle to make sure it didn’t contain explosives.

4 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM APARTMENT AVAILABLE AUGUST 1, 2023

Less than one mile to downtown and three miles to MSU. Apar tment has four medium si zed bedrooms with decent closets. Large yard at the end of a quiet, dead end street. Includes water, trash, heat. Tenant pays electr ic. Rent is $1500 for Unit #2 (upstairs). Garage stall available for $100 per month. Pet fee is $3 00 per pet. Washer & dr yer in building. Only $375 per room plus electric. Call 507-382- 4881

MENTION