Meta Platforms Inc. announced on Friday the removal of a network of fake group accounts aimed at Russian speakers in Moldova in violation of its policies on fake accounts. This action comes just ahead of Moldova’s presidential election scheduled for October 20.

Moldova, a country of approximately 2.5 million people located between Romania and Ukraine, has a majority Romanian-speaking population and a significant Russian-speaking minority. Current President Maia Sandu, who is pro-Western, is seeking re-election, and the upcoming election will also include a referendum on joining the European Union.

According to Meta, the removed accounts were used to criticize President Sandu, her pro-EU allies, and Moldova’s ties with Romania while promoting pro-Russian parties. The operation involved around a dozen fictitious, Russian-language news brands that posed as independent entities across various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, OK.ru, and TikTok.

Meta removed seven Facebook accounts, 23 pages, one group, and 20 Instagram accounts as part of its “coordinated inauthentic behavior policy.” The fake accounts garnered significant attention, with about 4,200 accounts following the 23 pages and approximately 335,000 following the Instagram accounts. Notably, most of the followers were located outside of Moldova, giving the accounts an illusion of popularity.

The Moldovan government has condemned ongoing Russian interference in its affairs, while Moscow has accused Sandu and her administration of inciting “Russophobia.” Meanwhile, TikTok announced it would lay off hundreds of employees from its global workforce.

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