Serbian police arrested two people on Friday, accused of running “combat-tactical training” for dozens of protesters ahead of tense Moldovan parliamentary elections this weekend.
The arrests come after Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, accused Russia of paying “hundreds of people” to destabilize the country ahead of Sunday’s vote.
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Identified only by their initials and year of birth, the pair are accused of organizing and financing the anti-police training near the western Serbian town of Loznica.
“The training was allegedly conducted between 16 July and 12 September for between 150 and 170 nationals of Moldova and Romania,” police said in a statement.
On Monday, Moldovan authorities detained 74 people linked to a protester training program in Serbia.
According to investigators, Russia had planned to train young Moldovans in Serbia in tactics to be used against the police during protests.
The ex-Soviet republic, wedged between war-torn Ukraine and European Union member Romania, has repeatedly warned of Russian interference ahead of the poll.
Serbia, an EU membership candidate, maintains close ties with the Kremlin and has refused to impose sanctions on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
Serbian police said that during a search of the suspects’ apartment, they seized laptops, mobile phones and a radio-frequency tracking device, while one suspect was also found with a handgun.
They are expected to be charged with organizing participation in war or armed conflict in a foreign state.
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