Moscow: Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Monday claimed that hundreds of thousands of Moldovan citizens living in Russia were denied the opportunity to participate in Moldova's parliamentary elections, alleging that Chisinau provided only two polling stations across the Russian Federation.

According to Anadolu Agency, Peskov told reporters at the Kremlin, cited by the state-run Tass news agency, that the limited number of polling stations was insufficient and prevented many Moldovans from voting. He accused the Moldovan authorities of blocking engagement with Moscow, which he said makes any discussion of a settlement in the breakaway region of Transnistria nearly impossible.

Peskov emphasized the complexity of the Transnistria issue, noting that dialogue with the current Moldovan leadership was challenging due to their alleged refusal to engage with Russia. While he described the situation in Transnistria as calm, he warned of the potential for provocations.

On the election results, Peskov stated that Moscow would refrain from issuing any formal reaction until political forces in Moldova clarified their positions. He pointed out that some political forces in Moldova were expressing disagreement and raising concerns about possible election violations.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu's pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured a fresh majority in the parliament, winning 50% of the vote, according to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission. With more than 99% of the 1.6 million ballots counted, voter turnout stood at over 52%. The pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc, led by former President Igor Dodon, gained 24% of the vote, while the Alternative bloc, led by Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban, received 7%.