U.S. Treasury sanctions seven for plot to destabilize Moldovan government

June 5 (UPI) -- The United States sanctioned seven Russian nationals Monday, for their attempts to help destabilize the government of Moldova and "subvert democracy."

All seven are linked to the same influence group, which has ties to Russian military intelligence, according to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The OFAC has now seized all property and interests in property under U.S. control from the seven members of the malign influence group, as identified by the Foreign Malign Influence Center.

The designated individuals all participated in various ways in a plot to help destabilize and overthrow Moldova's government. The foreign actors helped organize and stage anti-government protests inside the Eastern European country, which borders Russia.

Protests called for Moldovan President Maia Sandu to step down. Sandu said in February her government and intelligence service were alerted to the plot by Ukrainian security forces.

At the time, Sandu said her country expected specially instructed individuals from the Kremlin to cause disruptions under the guise of legitimate demonstrations as Russia sought to exert influence and control over the former Soviet satellite state.

The OFAC designated the group's leader, Konstantin Sapozhnikov for orchestrating the plot, along with Yury Makolov, Aleksey Losev and Gleb Khloponin for providing logistical support and planning. Losev's ceramic lantern business is now also on the OFAC designation list.

Svetlana Boyko, one of the group's senior members, and Vasily Gromovikov were both involved in helping to budget and finance the operation, with ties to the Russian Federation. Anna Travnikova has been known to U.S. officials since the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine and believed to have been "promoting pro-Russia narratives for audiences in multiple countries, including the United States."

Boyko was also previously known to the OFAC for her ties with a Russian agent already under U.S. sanctions.

"The sanctions imposed today shine a light on Russia's ongoing covert efforts to destabilize democratic nations," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in a statement Monday.

"Russia's attempted influence operations exploit the concerns of the citizens of these countries, to destabilize legitimately elected governments for Moscow's own interests. The United States remains committed, along with the EU, to target individuals who engage in such activities against the government of Moldova."