How Many Sputniks Are There in Moldova?

What is Sputnik International

Sputnik is a Russian state-owned international media outlet launched in 2014 by the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, designed explicitly to promote pro-Kremlin narratives to global audiences. Operating in over 30 languages and across multiple platforms—including radio, websites, and social media—Sputnik plays a key role in the Kremlin's global propaganda ecosystem (1,2). Unlike traditional journalism, it blends news coverage with overt political messaging that aligns with Russian foreign policy goals. Sputnik often positions itself as an alternative to Western media, but it has been repeatedly criticized for spreading disinformation, conspiracy theories, and content intended to undermine trust in democratic institutions, international alliances like NATO and the EU, and Western governments more broadly. Its messaging strategy typically involves amplifying divisive narratives, exploiting societal tensions, and promoting Russia's worldview under the guise of multipolarity and anti-imperialism. By embedding itself in foreign information ecosystems through localized content and native speakers, Sputnik seeks to legitimize and globalize Kremlin-approved perspectives while discrediting critical voices and narratives.

In Moldova, Sputnik has played a significant role in disseminating pro-Kremlin narratives aimed at influencing public opinion and undermining the country's pro-European trajectory. Operating without a broadcasting license, Sputnik Moldova leveraged platforms like Telegram to spread disinformation, particularly during key political events such as the 2024 presidential elections and the EU membership referendum . The Moldovan government responded by blocking Sputnik Moldova's website in 2022, citing national security concerns . Further actions included the expulsion of Sputnik Moldova's director, Vitalii Denisov.

Tracing the Shifting Ecosystem of Russian Propaganda Channels

Since its early presence on Telegram, the Sputnik brand has been a fixture in Moldova’s media ecosystem. At LetsData, we’ve been closely following Sputnik’s evolution, mapping out not just who’s posting, but how these changes reflect broader patterns in Russia’s information influence operations.

The Traditional Lineup: Two Sputniks, Two Languages

Historically, Sputnik operated in Moldova through two Telegram channels:

• Sputnik Молдова (@rusputnikmd) — the Russian-language channel

• Sputnik Moldova (@mdsputnikmd) — the Romanian (“Moldovan”)-language channel

Both channels have faced restrictions in Moldova, but their impact has diverged sharply. The Russian-language version consistently reached viewership in the low millions per week. In contrast, the Romanian-language channel struggled to gain traction, rarely crossing tens of thousands of views weekly.

A Quiet Exit and a Quick Rebrand

On February 22, 2025, the Romanian-language channel made a single post. The next day, it went dark. Just three days later, on February 25, a new channel emerged: Sputnik Молдова 2.0 (@mdsputnikmd_2), duplicating much of the content from the Russian-language version.

This shift appeared somewhat improvised. Posting volume and visibility dipped briefly during the transition. Then,  the new 2.0 channel started publishing faster than its predecessor, even if often by just a few minutes. It was clear this was now the flagship account for Moldovan audiences.

On March 2, Sputnik added a symbolic touch: the 🇲🇩 Moldovan flag emoji, previously tied to the original Sputnik Молдова, was moved to the new 2.0 account—informally passing the baton. For a short window that day, four distinct Sputnik identities could be found across monitoring databases:

• Sputnik Молдова 🇲🇩 → updated to → Sputnik Молдова

• Sputnik Молдова 2.0 → updated to → Sputnik Молдова 2.0 🇲🇩

But Can the New Sputniks Match the Old Momentum?

Despite the rebranding efforts, the Sputnik ecosystem hasn't reclaimed its past influence.

Between November and December 2024, during Moldova’s post-election lull but before the energy crisis intensified, the Russian-language Sputnik channel consistently attracted 3 to 3.5 million views per week.

By April–May 2025, however, that number dropped to 2 to 2.5 million views weekly, even when combining both Russian-language Sputnik channels. Increased posting volume didn't help; engagement plateaued.

Then, on May 20, after 3 months of demise, the Romanian-language Sputnik Moldova channel resurfaced. The relaunch mirrored earlier behavior: viewership declined shortly before, suggesting pre-planned strategy shifts likely initiated during internal Sputnik meetings or realignments.

Overall, it accounted for about 25% of the group’s posting activity, but barely moved the needle on engagement.

How LetsData Detected the Changes

At LetsData, we did not specifically monitor for changes in the Sputnik lineup in real time. However, we identified both evolutions within days based on indirect data points and alerted our clients.

For the launch of Sputnik Молдова 2.0, we observed efforts by Sputnik-friendly channels to promote the new channel. The return of the Romanian-language account was more subtle, emerging from nuanced statistical patterns we detected through our content monitoring models.

Visualizing the Shift

In the visualization below @rusputnikmd  is shown using light violet (as Sputnik Молдова 🇲🇩) and dark violet (as Sputnik Молдова).

@rusputnikmd_2  is represented with brownish green (as Sputnik Молдова 2.0) and green (as Sputnik Молдова 2.0 🇲🇩).

The remaining orange is the Romanian-language Sputnik Moldova. (@mdsputnikmd).

The top graph shows the number of Telegram posts while the one below shows the number of views for the same period.

The evolution of the Sputnik network in Moldova illustrates how state-sponsored influence operations adapt to disruption and scrutiny. Despite legal bans, platform removals, and public exposure, pro-Kremlin actors continue to experiment with new formats, identities, and dissemination tactics to maintain a foothold in the Moldovan information space. The rebranding of Sputnik’s Telegram channels—from the quiet disappearance of the Romanian-language outlet to the launch of Sputnik Молдова 2.0 and the naming experimentation —reflects how even improvisation appears against a sustained strategic commitment to influence local discourse.

What’s Next: Scaling Detection, Enhancing Vigilance

To better equip our clients to respond to evolving influence operations, LetsData is expanding its toolset for early detection of new or reactivated sources. These capabilities are designed to identify the emergence of impactful accounts in near real-time, as long as they engage with the broader information landscape in measurable ways.

The Sputnik case in Moldova is a microcosm of Russia’s broader information operations: adaptive, improvising, and persistently seeking new footholds even after disruption. At LetsData, we’re committed to building the tools and insights necessary to track these evolutions—because in the infosphere, who speaks where and when is just as important as what they say.