The Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc has been several times in Moscow for secret negotiations

The oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, arrested in Greece, has made several visits to Russia, starting in June 2024, to negotiate with the deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration, Dmitri Kozak, the support offered to the Kremlin in the Chisinau elections.

Vladimir Plahotniuc was arrested for 40 days in Greece. Photo: Archive

According to journalists from “The Insider”, Vladimir Plahotniuc, the organizer of one of the largest scams in the recent history of Russia, constantly visited Russia, but was not arrested, but participated in meetings at the highest level in the Kremlin.

In April 2025, the Moldovan investigations project “Malenkaia Strana” (“Little Country”) published fragments from the interceptions of Vladislav Darvai, former commercial representative of Russia in Moldova during 2019-2024, who currently holds the position of head of the Information Department of the Presidential Administration for Transfrontal Cooperation.

In a discussion with Natalia Pelin, who would have been his loved one, Vladislav Darvai acknowledged that he participated in organizing a secret visit by Vladimir Plahotniuc in Moscow, where he was to meet with the deputy head of the Presidential Administration, Dmitri Kozak.

From Darvai's speech, it appears that Plahotniuc decided to come to Moscow despite his criminal case, to secretly negotiate with Dmitri Kozak. The Moldovan oligarch arrived on June 4 and was staying at the National Hotel. For fear of surveillance cameras, he did not remove his sunglasses and cap, and from the airport he was transported with an “uncontrolled” car, that is one with numbers that do not attract the attention of the police. Throughout the three days of visit he was forbidden to leave the hotel room, so as not to be seen by foreign people.

According to interceptions, Vladimir Plahotniuc, presented as a billionaire, paid for the exclusive closure of the hotel's fitness center. However, he was asked not to enter the massage office, where a masseuse from Balti worked, who could have recognized it. “The Insider” checked the information and confirmed that, indeed, at that time he worked there from Balti.

Plahotniuc's visit lasted “until Friday”, more precisely until June 7, according to media sources, which analyzed the flight database. They found that a person with a passport on behalf of Mihail Taușanov arrived in Moscow on the afternoon of June 4, 2024, coming from Dubai, and also left for Dubai on June 7.

Darvai's interceptions cover only June, so it is not clear what conclusions resulting from the negotiations between Kozak and Plahotniuc. From the context of the conversation, however, it appears that the discussions aimed at the return of Plahotniuc in the political life of the Republic of Moldova, which, according to him, “He turned into a circus without him.” The meeting with Kozak was to be a preliminary one, and later a meeting with the Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin was planned.

Kozak's reprimand

Moreover, Dmitri Kozak would have rebuked Vladimir Plahotniuc.

“Do you understand that everything that happens now is, for the most part, your fault? You had all your power, but you played with it as you wanted.” Kozak would have told him.

In reply, the oligarch said he learned from mistakes and is ready to return, but he cannot do this alone, which is why he came to Moscow.

Another meeting between Plahotniuc and Kozak took place a week later at Minsk. According to flight data, with the same passport issued on behalf of Mihail Taușanov, Plahotniuc flew again in Moscow in July and October 2024, as well as in March and April 2025.

“This period was an extremely agitated one for the Moldovan politics, in a context in which the Kremlin was actively trying to increase its influence. The peak of Russian pressures was reached in October-November 2024, during the referendum on European integration and of the two tours of the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova. Played an essential role in this effort to influence. Initially, the money was transported by couriers flying between Chisinau and Moscow, via Turkey.

When the Moldovan authorities began to intercept these couriers, Ilan Șor went to the distribution of MIR bank cards, loaded with money, which could be withdrawn from the Transnistrian region. In order to disturb the electoral process, the diaspora was also involved. In Moscow, on October 20, voters brought by buses were fed for free in a Georgian restaurant near the Embassy of Moldova, and some of them benefited from trips to Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey-just to reach the voting sections and to queue. In the second round of the elections, the attempt to buy the votes was extended to the Moldovans in the European Union. The respect of the voting “commitments” was monitored by special observers, who were at the entrances in the sections. In Estonia and Italy, voters noticed people with cameras and mobile phones who were lively the faces of those who entered. One of these people, identified in Bologna, was a Russian student, who claimed to monitor the elections from an non -existent non -governmental organization ”, notes the media source.

Moscow's blocks

Currently, the Kremlin has changed the strategy: it promotes the formation of two large blocks, with opposite political orientations, to obtain a parliamentary majority.

The first block does not hide its sympathies against Moscow and consists of four pro-Russian politicians, former members of the Communist Party, currently leaders of four different formations: Igor Dodon (Socialist Party), Vladimir Voronin (Communist Party), Irina Vlah (the heart of Moldova) and Vasile Tarlev. They have announced their intention to create a common electoral block for future parliamentary elections.

In addition to this coalition, the Kremlin also supports the “Proeuropean” block called “Alternative”, led by the mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban (National Alternative Movement), of which the former Prime Minister Ion Chicu (the Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova), the candidate for the presidential elections Alexandr Stoianoglo and Mark Tkaciu. The block denies ties with Moscow.

“Through this strategy of the two seemingly opposite blocks, Moscow hopes to attract as many voters as possible. But what binds all these politicians is the same thing: a long history of relations with Vladimir Plahotniuc,” adds journalists from “The Insider”.

On July 22, in Greece, at the request of Interpol, Vladimir Plahotniuc, accused of involving money from corruption to Russia, worth $ 20 billion, through the scheme known as “Landromat”, was handcuffed.

The Kremlin requires the extradition of the oligarch

Chisinau requested the extradition of Vladimir Plahotniuc, as did Moscow.

“We have reason to believe that Russia's request is just an attempt to offer Plahotniuc protection and freedom,” said the head of the General Inspectorate of Police (IGP) of Moldova, Viorel Cernăuțeanu, recalling that Moscow also proceeded in the case of another Moldovan iligarh, Ilan Șor, who is currently living in Russia, even though he is definitively convicted in the banking file in the Republic of Moldova.

Above Plahotniuc were found more than 20 false identity documents, on different names, including Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian passports, some of them issued on behalf of Mihail Tonșanov, born on February 22, 1962.