Russia uses historical memory as an instrument of informational and hybrid warfare in the former Soviet republics, including the Republic of Moldova, historian Virgiliu Bîrlădeanu stated for IPN in a video interview titled "Collective memory, ground for hybrid war against the Republic of Moldova".

According to the head of the Contemporary History Section of the Institute of History of the Moldova State University, authorities’ recent measures regarding the decommunization and decolonization of memorial spaces are essential for strengthening democratic values and for approaching a European culture of memory.

"The recent steps taken by the authorities to critically address the legacy of communist totalitarianism and to advance processes of decommunization and decolonization of memorial spaces are absolutely natural. especially in the context of a society that wants to consolidate democratic values and connect to a European culture of memory," said Virgiliu Bîrlădeanu.

The historian noted that these initiatives generated harsh reactions, especially on the part of external actors, who feel that their traditional narratives about the role of the Soviet Union are threatened.

"We cannot ignore the fact that behind these reactions there is the Russian Federation, which has been using historical memory for many years as an instrument of informational and hybrid warfare in the former Soviet republics," stated Virgiliu Bîrlădeanu.

According to him, these confrontations are part of a scenario of narrative pressure on the Republic of Moldova, and the dispute over public memory reflects geopolitical stakes that are essential for the democratic and European future of the country.

"For decades, history has been presented from a Soviet ideological perspective, which imposed a version of the past meant to legitimize imperial domination and erase other perspectives, in particular those related to the Romanian past. The confrontations we are witnessing now are part of a broader strategy of narrative pressure. The challenges in the sphere of public memory reflect, in fact, the deep stakes related to the geopolitical orientation of the Republic of Moldova and the consolidation of its democratic and European identity," noted the historian.

The interview entitled "Collective memory, ground for hybrid war against the Republic of Moldova" is part of the series of debates "Impact of the past on confidence-building and peace-building processes". The project is supported by the German "Hanns Seidel" Foundation.