Is Moldova’s Former General Staff Chief a Kremlin man? Reaction to Journalist Investigation

A new investigation by The Insider. According to the media’s journalists, General Igor Gorgan provided the Russian Intelligence Directorate with inside information about Moldova. He allegedly started doing this after being dismissed as the country’s General Staff Chief. Gorgan passed data through a Russian agent, who was supplied with information about the army’s equipment and the state of Moldovan-Ukrainian relations. ‘We urgently need a cleansing of the country of all fascist scum!!!! Many are ready. Pass it on... The time has come. I keep the whole situation in the army under control.... Here, to my joy, are no ‘Azov’ and other national formations, and we will deal with politicians quickly’. According to The Insider journalists, Igor Gorgan passed this message to his Russian handler, Colonel Alexei Makarov. There is no exact date when it was written, but it is clear that Russia was already waging war in Ukraine at that time. It is also proven that the general informed Russian agents about the corridor that was created in Moldova: ‘Railway trains with fuel come from the territory of Moldova, namely from the village of Etulia - to the Ukrainian settlement of Reni. The train with fuel moves only at night, during the day it stands still in order not to become a target of the Russian Air Force,’ Gorgan pointed out. He also called for making it impossible to travel through Romania: ‘We should close the border with Romania soon! It is a big hole! A lot of cargoes come to Ukraine from there. Especially military cargo! The Romanians still have some military factories producing weapons and ammunition’. The Insider also obtained a telephone conversation between Igor Gorgan and Russian military officer Igor Dovbnea. The men agreed to meet in Chisinau, near the memorial. Moldovan journalists who were involved in the investigation contacted Igor Gorgan, but he said he denied the allegations of any links with Russian agents. However, after the publication, the Moldovan Information and Security Service confirmed to TV8 that the general was indeed an informant. ‘The SIS notes that the data available to our agency confirms the accuracy of the information presented in The Insider’s investigative journalism. We also state that the SIS monitors security risks and takes actions to prevent potential crises and attempts of external interference in the internal affairs of the country,’ the SIS said in the statement. The presidential office has already announced the decision to revoke all state honors received by the general. ‘The state awards “For Combat Merits” and “Loyalty to the Motherland”, awarded in 2006 and 2015 respectively, will be revoked. He will also be deprived of all military ranks. Such cases prove the extreme necessity of constant monitoring of persons working in the state defense and security agencies and thorough checks against them. Such criminals acting from within contribute to hybrid threats to the state. That is why we need more effective tools to fight traitors to the homeland,’ Adrian Baluțel, head of the presidential administration, said. Gorgan, who allegedly helped Russia in its war with Ukraine, worked at the UN office in Moldova in 2023 and dealt with Ukrainian refugees. After the publication of The Insider’s investigation, Gorgan was suspended from his job at UNHCR. ‘An internal investigation has been launched. This employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation,’ Monica Vazquez, the spokesperson for the organization, said. The Moldovan Defense Ministry announced that in cooperation with other agencies of the country it is conducting a detailed verification of the information published in a journalistic investigation against former General Staff Chief Igor Gorgan. ‘We will not allow the National Army to be used by traitors to the country to the detriment of the national interest,’ the Defense Ministry stressed. Igor Gorgan held the post of General Staff Chief in 2013 and was dismissed after a conflict with Anatol Șalaru, who was then Defense Minister. Șalaru accused Gorgan of ‘nepotism and embezzlement’ in the army because of him. Igor Gorgan returned to leadership in 2019 - after Igor Dodon came to power. After the presidency went to Maia Sandu, Gorgan was again suspended.