Meet the Putin lovers who want him to invade their country

Leichu is a fan of Putin despite the vicious, nearly five-month war that has destroyed dozens of Ukrainian cities and killed thousands of civilians. “A majority of Moldovans like Putin more than all other post-Soviet leaders because he is strong, he is winning, it’s easier for people to understand what he wants,” Leichu said. “Our recent problems with Russia started after President Sandu decided not to travel to Moscow and meet with Putin. The inflation is already 32 percent and Sandu fails to explain to our public why life without Russia and as an ally of the European Union would be better.”

If approval ratings are any indication, the threat to Sandhu’s authority is growing by the day. According to IData, Sandu’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity has 22.6 percent of the public’s support, while the pro-Russian bloc of Dodon’s Party of Socialists and Party of Communists is at 26.3 percent.

Another passionate Dodon ally who spoke with The Daily Beast, parliament member Bogdan Tsyrdea, warned that “social unrest and explosive street protests” were coming for Moldova. “Police detained Dodon on Sandu’s birthday, on May 24,” Tsyrdea fumed, while smoking a cigarette. “This is nonsense. Sandu turned Moldova into a colony of the United Kingdom and America.”