Moldovans cast ballots in local elections amid claims of Russian meddling

BY STEPHEN McGRATH and AUREL OBREJA
Associated Press

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovans are casting ballots in nationwide local elections amid claims by Moldovan authorities 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, would not usually garner much international attention, ongoing accusations of Russian meddling add a geopolitical dimension to the vote. Sunday’s ballot will elect nearly 900 mayors and 11,000 local councilors for a four-year term, including key positions such as mayor of the capital, Chisinau.