Bosnian prosecutors have formally requested assistance from Moldova in investigating Russian-linked training camps located in the Republika Srpska, one of the two autonomous entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reports indicate that Russian instructors in these camps trained participants in organizing mass protests, street unrest, forcible occupation of government buildings, and sabotage tactics. The programs were reportedly aimed at deploying Russian and Serbian mercenaries to destabilize Moldova ahead of its parliamentary elections. Balkan Insight highlighted the ongoing probe, emphasizing the cross-border dimension of the investigation.
Training camps and election interference
Independent journalists revealed that camps near Banja Luka offered hands-on training in protest organization and police provocation. Some instructors were reportedly linked to the Russian private military company Wagner, accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine, Syria, the Central African Republic, and Mali. Moldovan courts are currently hearing cases related to attempts at destabilization, including testimony from Vladimir Khartchevnikov, who described traveling from Moldova through Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in drone assembly and incendiary device training. Probable training sites included the village of Glamochani near the former Zaluzhany airbase.
Arrests and regional implications
In September 2025, Moldovan authorities arrested 74 individuals suspected of involvement in the pre-election destabilization campaign, which sought to undermine the pro-European party Action and Solidarity. Russian instructors reportedly conducted additional training in Serbia, including in Radenka near the Romanian border, with participants recruited and compensated ahead of the elections. Serbian police arrested two citizens in connection with these camps. A joint investigation by Moldovan, Ukrainian authorities, and Europol identified 654 members of Russian private military companies Wagner and Redut who had participated in combat operations in Ukraine.
Strategic risks for the Western Balkans
Security services suggest that Russia uses the Balkans as a platform for operations combining propaganda, protest funding, and militant training. Such camps pose not only a direct threat to Moldova but also risk destabilizing the Western Balkans, a region with historical ethnic and political tensions. The investigation underscores the transnational nature of hybrid threats and the importance of regional cooperation to counter destabilization campaigns.
