INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Moscow warned Wednesday it would "closely" monitor the treatment of a pro-Russian ex-president in Moldova who had been detained on suspicion
of treason and corruption.On Tuesday, prosecutors in the Western-backed country announced the arrest of former president Igor Dodon, as the
conflict in neighboring Ukraine has heightened tensions between Moscow and Chisinau.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that
Dodon's detention was Moldova's "internal affair.""At the same time, we would not like the current authorities to start settling scores with
their former political rivals in the current situation," Rudenko told reporters in comments carried by Russian news agencies.He said Russia
would "closely monitor" the case to make sure that "all of Dodon's rights" are respected and that they comply with international
standards.Dodon led Moldova between 2016 and 2020 and was openly backed by Moscow.He is being investigated over four separate offenses:
state treason, receiving political funds from a criminal organization, illegal enrichment, and "passive corruption."Moldova is largely
Romanian-speaking but has a significant Russian-speaking minority and a Moscow-backed separatist region, Transnistria.After becoming mired
in scandals linked to corruption in the impoverished country, Dodon lost the presidency to Maia Sandu in 2020
Her pro-European party went on to win a resounding victory in parliamentary elections in 2021.Chisinau has firmly backed Kyiv after
President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine.
