CHISINAU — A Russian cultural center operating in Moldova for over 15 years has officially closed, following an order from the country’s pro-European government that determined the facility posed a potential threat to national security.
Moldova’s government, which has been a vocal opponent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, declared last year that the Russian Centre for Science and Culture could be used as a tool to spread harmful narratives within the country of 2.5 million people. The nation’s parliament backed that decision.
The Russian embassy released a statement acknowledging the closure, saying: “It is with deep regret that we are obliged to advise that, in connection with a Moldovan government decision, the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (‘Russia House’) is ending its activity.”
In its own farewell statement, the center said it had spent many years serving “as a meeting place, for dialogue and friendship,” adding: “We hope that interest in Russian language, literature, culture and education, will not cease.”
The Russian embassy noted that some responsibilities previously handled by the center would be absorbed by its cultural department going forward.
Tensions between Moldova and Russia have escalated significantly since Moscow launched its invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The government’s closure order also pointed to incidents in which Russian drones violated Moldovan airspace and landed on the country’s soil.
President Maia Sandu, who is leading Moldova’s push to become a member of the European Union before the decade is out, has charged that Russia is actively working to undermine her government. Russia, for its part, has accused Sandu of fueling anti-Russian sentiment in the country.
Moldova has a complex historical relationship with Russia, having been part of the Russian empire, the Soviet Union, and “Greater Romania” at various points in its past. While Russian remains widely spoken, younger generations have largely shifted to Romanian, which is the country’s official language.
Last month, officials in Transdniestria — a pro-Russian separatist region located in eastern Moldova — proposed establishing an alternative Russian cultural center “to act against destructive attempts to limit Russian presence.”
However, Deputy Prime Minister Valeriu Chiveri, a senior figure in the Moldovan government, stated that establishing any such center would not be possible without first reaching a new agreement with Russia.
