CHISINAU, Aug. 26 -- At the Russian Embassy on the edge of Moldova's capital, a statement went out on Tuesday that followed a familiar script: Moscow denied it.

The Embassy's press service dismissed as fabrications what it described as reports circulating about Russian interference in Gagauzia, Moldova's southern autonomous region, as reported by Sputnik. The statement called the allegations politically motivated and aimed at damaging Russia's standing in a region where it has maintained deep historical, linguistic, and religious ties for decades.

The denial adds to a running dispute between Moscow and Chisinau that has intensified since Moldovan President Maia Sandu took office in late 2020 and steered her country sharply toward Europe...