The Moldovan foreign ministry said in a statement that Russia had sought to delegitimise the democratic process of the country's presidential election, won by pro-Western President Maia Sandu, and an Oct. 20 referendum on inserting a clause in the constitution defining EU membership as a goal.

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry protested to the Russian ambassador against "Russia's illegal interference in the elections and referendum in Moldova to distort their results, undermine and delegitimize the democratic process in Moldova.

Moldova has handed a note of protest to the Russian ambassador to Chisinau over alleged interference in its recent elections. The foreign ministry in Chisinau said in a statement on Tuesday that it turned over the “note of firm protest” in relation to the “illegal and deliberate interference” to envoy Oleg Ozerov during a meeting at its offices.

Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a protest note over Russia's deliberate interference in Moldova's presidential elections and referendum, condemning Russian drones violating Moldovan airspace near Keushani and Rishkani.