Source of the photo: Just What Were Donald Trump's Ties to the Mob? — POLITICO Magazine https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-crime-213910
International Russian mafia organizations operate as intricate, clandestine networks tied to the Russian government that engage in a wide range of illegal activities, including political killing and retaliation, drug trafficking, luxury cars and arms smuggling, human (children) trafficking, and criptocurency and money laundering. Their action patterns are characterized by a reliance on violence and intimidation to maintain control, eliminate competition, and enforce obedience among members and rivals alike (notorious individuals, parties, states, international organizations and corporations).
Corruption is another hallmark of their operations (not only in Moldova, Romania and Ukraine but all over EU), as they frequently bribe officials and infiltrate legitimate businesses to facilitate their illicit activities and launder money (all across Central and Western Europe). These proxy (spoiled) organizations operate on a global scale, leveraging extensive networks that span multiple countries to establish drug routes, killings, diversions, disinformation campaigns, smuggling operations, and black financial channels. They are also highly innovative, swiftly adapting to law enforcement tactics and employing advanced technology for encrypted communications and cybercrime (involving Bitcoins, hacking and fiscal avoidance).
In terms of administration and organization, international Russian mafia groups typically follow a hierarchical structure, with a central leader — often referred to as a Don (e.g. Kadyrov), Boss (e.g. Prigojin), or Tzar (e.g. Putin) — presiding over multiple layers of authority: at statal-national, regional and international level. The big Russian organization is often divided into smaller groups or families, each with its own territory or area of expertise. A defining feature of these groups is the code of silence, or Omerta type code communication, which binds members to loyalty and secrecy, with severe consequences, including death, for those who betray the organization.
Source: Berlusconi 'paid off the mafia' https://www.news.com.au/world/berlusconi-paid-off-the-mafia/news-story/228c94e17bccfe0d57ee1345e7440c43
The rules governing these Russian mafia (also state) organizations are strict and unwavering. Loyalty to the group is paramount, and any form of betrayal is met with lethal retribution (thus the retaliation we see at all levels in Russia – NGOs, civil society members, administration, business, media and art creators). Discipline is rigorously enforced, with members expected to adhere strictly to the rules and orders issued by their superiors. Secrecy is maintained at all costs, with the identities of members and the details of operations kept hidden (aka KGB legends) to protect the organization and ensure its survival. Above all, the primary driving force behind these groups is the pursuit of profit (in Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus and all of the ex-CIS or ex-USSR countries, like Romania or Hungary), often achieved through activities that devastate human lives in entire ethnic groups and undermine social stability in entire countries.
We want to engage in a journalistic effort to weaken mafia organizations on a strategic approach that targets the core of their operations. Exposing corruption is the first step, as revealing the ties between mafia groups and corrupt officials disrupts the protection that allows these criminal networks to thrive. Following the money is equally crucial; by tracing illicit financial transactions and uncovering money laundering schemes, journalists can cut off the mafia’s funding, crippling their ability to operate.
Raising public awareness amplifies these efforts by bringing mafia activities to the forefront, pressuring governments and law enforcement to act decisively. Providing a platform for whistle-blowers adds another layer of vulnerability for the mafia, as insider testimonies can unveil the inner workings and weaknesses of these organizations. International cooperation is essential in this fight, with journalists collaborating across borders to dismantle transnational networks and expose their global reach.
Undermining the mafia’s reputation is also key, as exposing their internal conflicts and failures erodes the fear and invincibility, they rely on to maintain control. Finally, the evidence gathered through thorough investigative reporting becomes invaluable in legal proceedings, aiding in the prosecution and dismantling of these criminal organizations. Through these concerted actions — exposing corruption, following the money, raising awareness, empowering whistle-blowers, fostering international cooperation, undermining reputations, and providing legal evidence – we, as journalists, will play a critical role in the battle against organized crime in Moldova, Romania and Ucraine.
Our last investigative report on the ussage of @mail.ru and @rambler.ru Russian e-mail services by Moldovan officials all over the country and administrative bodies is the first step in demasking Russian state infiltration in our sovereign nation affairs („Kremlin Eyes in Moldovan Institutions” article): https://fbi.md/articles/mail_ru_ochii_kremlinului_in_institutiile_din_Moldova
It is quite expensive to work it through one month per report, but we want more of them in… Thus, particularly for Moldova, we want to expose these seven massive subversive communist strategies aimed at underminig a progressive economy, pro-European politics, social transformation and education:
1. Political Manipulation and Influence
— Control of Political Parties: Covert communist factions could have influenced or infiltrated political parties, especially those with Soviet sympathies, to maintain their power. This includes supporting pro-Russian parties like the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), which has often advocated for closer ties with Russia instead of pursuing European integration.
— Electoral Interference: There could be evidence of tampering with election processes, spreading disinformation about pro-European candidates, or even using corruption to ensure the victory of candidates aligned with pro-Russian and communist ideologies.
— Maintaining Soviet-Era Networks: Retaining influence through Soviet-era networks within the government, military, and security services could have ensured that key decisions were influenced by communist-era loyalties.
2. Economic Sabotage
— Undermining Privatization Efforts: During the post-Soviet transition, efforts to privatize state-owned enterprises were often subverted, either by placing them in the hands of communist-era elites or by orchestrating their failure to discredit market reforms.
— Corruption and Embezzlement: Large-scale corruption could have been used as a tool to siphon off public resources, weakening the state’s ability to function and undermining the legitimacy of the government, particularly when led by pro-European forces.
— Blocking Foreign Investment: Covert communists might have worked to create an unstable business environment, discouraging foreign direct investment, especially from European countries, through legal uncertainty, corruption, or even orchestrated violence.
— Promoting Economic Dependence on Russia: Ensuring that Moldova remained economically dependent on Russia through energy supplies, trade, and remittances from the diaspora in Russia, thereby stymying efforts to diversify the economy and integrate with Europe.
3. Subversion of Pro-European Politics
— Disinformation Campaigns: Persistent disinformation campaigns have been used to discredit European Union policies and leaders. These campaigns often highlight the supposed economic disadvantages of EU integration, loss of sovereignty, or cultural degradation.
— Fostering Division and Polarization: Exploiting and exacerbating ethnic, linguistic, and regional divisions within Moldova, particularly between Romanian-speaking and Russian-speaking populations, to create a climate of fear and mistrust that hinders a unified pro-European political direction.
— Undermining Civil Society: Covert operations aimed at discrediting or weakening NGOs, think tanks, and media organizations that support European integration or promote democratic values.
4. Social Transformation
— Resisting Democratic Reforms: Efforts to block or undermine reforms aimed at democratizing institutions, such as the judiciary, could have been conducted by maintaining corrupt practices or obstructing the appointment of reform-minded officials.
— Promoting Soviet Nostalgia: Cultivating a sense of nostalgia for the Soviet era through media, education, and culture, emphasizing the supposed stability and prosperity of that time in contrast to the challenges of the post-Soviet transition.
— Cultural Manipulation: Using cultural events, media, and education to subtly promote pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives, thus shaping public opinion against European integration.
5. Education and Knowledge Control
— Curriculum Manipulation: Ensuring that history textbooks and educational materials downplay the crimes of the Soviet regime and the benefits of European integration, instead portraying the Soviet Union in a positive light.
— Influencing Academic Institutions: Keeping control over universities and academic institutions by placing loyalists in key positions to ensure that research and academic discourse align with pro-Russian and anti-European sentiments.
— Suppressing Critical Thinking: Discouraging critical thinking and debate in education by promoting rote learning and discouraging questioning of authority, which would be consistent with Soviet-era educational practices.
— Blocking Education Reforms: Resisting efforts to modernize the education system, especially those that would bring it in line with European standards or encourage the study of Western languages and cultures.
6. Media and Information Warfare
— Control of Media Outlets: Maintaining control over major media outlets or establishing new ones that propagate pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives. This includes both traditional media and online platforms.
— Spreading Conspiracy Theories: Disseminating conspiracy theories that cast doubt on the legitimacy of the government, the benefits of EU integration, or the intentions of Western nations, thereby confusing public opinion.
— Cyber Attacks and Hacktivism: Engaging in cyber-attacks against pro-European institutions, media outlets, or political parties to disrupt their operations or discredit them by leaking manipulated information.
7. Geopolitical Strategies
— Leveraging Transnistria: Using the breakaway region of Transnistria as a geopolitical tool to destabilize Moldova and prevent it from pursuing a coherent pro-European policy.
— Energy Dependency: Manipulating Moldova's dependence on Russian energy supplies as a means of exerting political pressure, including cutting off supplies during critical moments to create economic and social unrest.
— Diplomatic Isolation: Working to isolate Moldova diplomatically from the West by influencing its foreign policy through the promotion of pro-Russian sentiments within the government.
This list presents a comprehensive view of how covert communists influences systematically work to subvert Moldova's progress toward a more open, democratic, and European-aligned future. These activities would be consistent with broader strategies seen in other post-Soviet states where pro-Russian elements have sought to maintain influence (for example, in Romania and Ukraine).
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