The European Council included businessman Anatolii Prizenco, a native of the Republic of Moldova, on the EU sanctions list for destabilizing actions for the benefit of Russian services. According to the portal Deschide.MD, the document provides that Prizenco last year coordinated the trip of Moldovan citizens to France, where they drew the Star of David, a symbol of Jews and the State of Israel, on buildings in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, IPN reports.

"That operation was intensely publicized and had a significant destabilizing effect in the context of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which followed the attacks of October 7, 2023. The images of that operation were initially broadcast by the Recent Reliable News media network, associated with the Government of the Russian Federation and used by Russian actors to carry out disinformation campaigns," reads the European Council’s decision, quoted by Deschide.MD.

It notes that Prizenco publicly assumed responsibility for the role of organizer of the operation. According to media reports, the destabilizing operation was carried out for the benefit of the Russian military intelligence service, GRU, with the aim of fueling tensions in French society.

"Anatolii Prizenco is responsible for implementing, supporting or benefiting from the actions or policies of the Government of the Russian Federation, which undermine or threaten the stability of a member state and, implicitly, of the European Union, by planning, coordinating or becoming involved, directly or indirectly, in the use of information manipulation and coordinated interference," says the European Council’s decision.

Anatolii Prizenco is 50 years old and resides in Anenii Noi. He was previously criminally investigated for creating the financial pyramid "MMM-2011" in the Republic of Moldova. In 2014, Prizenco was involved in political campaigning for the "People's Movement for the Customs Union", led by Victor Shelin.