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A large-scale European operation has uncovered the alleged existence of a spy network linked to the Belarusian KGB, according to The Guardian. At the heart of the case is Alexandru Balan, former deputy head of the Moldovan intelligence services, who was arrested for treason. According to Eurojust, he allegedly passed on state secrets during meetings in Budapest in 2024 and 2025 with Belarusian officers, jeopardizing Romania's security.

The case triggered a series of diplomatic measures. The Czech Republic and Moldova expelled a Belarusian diplomat, identified by a Warsaw-based think tank as Mikalai Dukshta, officially an advisor to the embassy in Prague but in reality a KGB agent. This episode illustrates the growing cooperation between Minsk and Moscow in the field of intelligence, with the Schengen area facilitating the movement of their agents, according to the Czech authorities.

The context is particularly sensitive for Moldova, led by pro-European President Maia Sandu. The country narrowly voted to join the European Union in a 2024 referendum, and parliamentary elections will be held there in the coming weeks. Western intelligence services consider Moldova a priority target for Moscow, which is seeking to slow its alignment with the West.

Balan's exact role in this affair remains unclear. Since leaving the Moldovan intelligence service, he has regularly participated in security conferences in Europe, which may have facilitated his contacts. While the Belarusian KGB has traditionally focused its efforts on the opposition diaspora, it now works in close coordination with the Russian services, heightening European capitals' concerns about the clandestine activities of a security apparatus that has remained faithful to its Soviet methods. The Guardian

IN SHORT

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