Moldova moves to terminate its agreement with Russia
Moldova has taken a decisive step toward closing the “Russian Centre of Science and Culture” in Chisinau, announcing on December 5 that it had formally notified Moscow of plans to withdraw from the bilateral agreement regulating the centre’s operations. The Foreign Ministry stated that the termination will take effect six months after notification, meaning the legal basis for the centre’s presence will expire on July 4, 2026. The development comes as pro-European authorities intensify efforts to limit Russian influence following a series of incidents involving Russian drones falling on Moldovan territory during attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure. After pro-EU parties consolidated power in the September parliamentary elections, the government advanced the legislative framework necessary to close the centre, with parliament approving the final bill on November 27. Coverage by Eurointegration underscored the political significance of Moldova’s decision as a signal of foreign-policy reorientation.
Warsaw confronts allegations of hostile activity inside Russian cultural centre
Poland, meanwhile, is facing its own concerns about the role of Russian cultural structures. On the same day, Polish MP Krzysztof Brejza asked national law-enforcement bodies to investigate activities at the Russian cultural centre in central Warsaw after a lecture delivered by Yevgeny Tkachov allegedly included disinformation, slander and inflammatory rhetoric. Brejza wrote that the speech had a distinctly pro-Kremlin and anti-Polish character and may have violated several provisions of the criminal code. Highlighting his concerns in a post on X, he urged the authorities to treat the matter as a potential security threat and called for immediate scrutiny of the institution. Parallel reporting by Eurointegration emphasized that Polish intelligence had long regarded the centre as a node for Russian messaging operations.
Russian cultural centres seen as tools of political influence
In Moldova, the “Russian House” became a focal point of political tension, as officials argued that the institution functioned less as a cultural venue and more as a channel for Kremlin influence that undermined the country’s sovereignty. The inability of Moldova to open a reciprocal cultural centre in Moscow was frequently cited as evidence of asymmetric relations between the two countries. Closing the Chisinau centre therefore marks a clear departure from past arrangements and aligns with Moldova’s broader integration trajectory with the EU. Security officials stress that shutting the centre reduces opportunities for Russian intelligence to operate under cultural cover, particularly during a period of heightened regional tension.
Regional trend toward restricting Russian soft-power structures
The moves in Chisinau and Warsaw reflect a wider trend across Central and Eastern Europe, where governments have tightened oversight of Russian cultural and information institutions. Several states, including the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, have previously restricted or expelled similar entities over concerns they were being used for espionage, recruitment or covert influence activities. Intelligence services across the EU have repeatedly warned that Moscow uses ostensibly humanitarian or educational organisations to collect information, cultivate local contacts and disseminate pro-Kremlin narratives.
Warsaw scrutinises Russian influence operations under cultural cover
In Poland, the centre in Warsaw is formally a cultural and educational venue but is widely believed to operate under the umbrella of Rossotrudnichestvo, an organisation subordinate to the Russian Foreign Ministry and often associated with Russian intelligence. Its programmes and public events frequently echo Kremlin narratives, promoting the idea of a “spiritual” Russian mission while portraying Western institutions as morally weakened. Through lectures and outreach activities, the centre has attempted to influence public opinion, raising questions about its true purpose at a time when Poland remains a key supporter of Ukraine and a strategic pillar of NATO’s eastern flank.
European security concerns deepen as scrutiny intensifies
Taken together, the decisions by Moldova and Poland highlight growing European unease over the role of Russian cultural centres in the region. As the war in Ukraine continues and hybrid threats intensify, governments are re-evaluating how these institutions operate, what networks they sustain and how they fit into broader Russian strategies targeting EU member states and neighbouring democracies. More countries are now considering stronger oversight, restrictions or closures to prevent misuse of cultural platforms for hostile activities.
