Meta allowed a Kremlin-linked oligarch to run Facebook ads calling for uprisings against pro-Western government in Moldova

Meta allowed a Moldovan oligarch, sanctioned by the US, to run paid Facebook ads, per AP.

The ads featured Ilan Shor promoting an uprising against Moldova's pro-Western government.

Meta removed the ads, but only after they reached an audience of millions.

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Meta allowed an exiled Moldovan oligarch, who is on the US sanctions list over his ties to the Kremlin, to run Facebook ads promoting protests and uprisings against the country's pro-Western government, the Associated Press reported.

Moldova, which borders Ukraine, has found itself increasingly caught up in Russian intrigue and fears related to the conflict raging over its border.

The paid Facebook ads featured oligarch Ilan Shor, who now lives in Israel after being convicted of massive financial fraud. They included political messaging stoking anger at rising inflation, high fuel prices, and the government of President Maia Sandu, according to AP.

In one ad, Shor, who heads the pro-Russia Shor Party, can be heard accusing Sandu's government of corruption.

"You and I will have to pull them out of their offices by the ears and throw them out of our country like evil spirits," he said, according to AP's translation.

The ads, which were identified by London-based nonprofit Reset, largely ran on Facebook in late October and early November last year, reaching an audience of millions, Facebook's online advertising library shows.

Moldova was rocked by mass protests late last year, which were organized by the Shor Party, the largest of which took place shortly after the ads were placed.

In October 2022, the US Department of the Treasury accused Shor of working with Russian individuals to try to destabilize and create unrest in Moldova.

The Washington Post has previously referred to Shor as "a leading figure in the Kremlin's efforts to subvert" Moldova, citing intelligence reports.

One senior Russian politician praised Shor, as "a worthy long-term partner," according to the Post.

In a statement provided to Insider, Meta said that the company "took action" on accounts known to belong to Shor and the Shor Party after the oligarch was added to the US sanctions list in October.

"We adhere to US sanctions laws and will continue working to detect and enforce against fake accounts and pages that violate our policies," a Meta spokesperson said.

Most of the ads were removed within a week of the US sanctions announcement, per AP.

Another ad was placed on Facebook by Shor in January 2023 but Meta removed it because it ran without a disclaimer that it was about politics or elections, a note on the platform's advertising library shows.

Felix Kartte, a senior adviser at Reset, told AP that the ads and Meta's response have concerning implications for the security of Europe.

"Their platforms continue to be weaponized by the Kremlin and Russian secret services, and because of the company's inaction, the U.S. and Europe risk losing a key ally in the region," Kartte told the news agency.

On Thursday, President Sandu described destabilization attempts on the country as a "reality" and "real challenge" as she swore in a new government led by a pro-Western prime minister, AP reported.

This followed claims on Monday that there was a plot by Moscow to overthrow Moldova's government.

Russia rejected the accusation as "unfounded."