Head of Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), Alexandru Musteata, commented on the return of two Moldovan agents who had previously been detained in Russia.
The situation surrounding these agents has been inconsistent from the start. Back in January, President Maia Sandu denied their existence altogether, speaking instead about “citizens being detained without real grounds.”
Later, once news emerged about their exchange, she acknowledged that the two were officers “acting in the interests of Moldova.” She also referred to them as being “in captivity,” a term typically used in the context of armed conflict.
Musteata addressed the issue in a television interview. Given his position, he might have been expected to use precise terminology. Instead, his statements raised further questions.
“Negotiations with the Federal Security Service began as soon as their detention was confirmed. Our demand was simple—release them unconditionally; they did nothing wrong on Russian territory,” he said.
At the same time, Musteata acknowledged that the agents’ mission was classified and that Moldova conducts intelligence operations abroad, “as all intelligence services do,” to gather information for national security.
This creates a contradiction. While such actions may be justified from Moldova’s perspective, under Russian law they would typically be classified as espionage.
Critics point out the inconsistency between this stance and domestic enforcement practices, where authorities are often accused of taking a much stricter approach toward ordinary citizens.
