Russia on Tuesday denounced Moldova's weekend election as unfair and said it did not see the winner, Maia Sandu, as the legitimate president of the country. Pro-Western Sandu defeated a former prosecutor general backed by a traditionally pro-Russian party in a vote marred by allegations of election meddling by Moscow,

"She is not, as far as we understand, the president of her country because, in the country itself, the majority of the population did not vote for her," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

The Kremlin complained on Wednesday about what it called "unacceptable" treatment of a team of Russian journalists who travelled to the United States to cover next week's presidential election. Russian media said the journalists from the Izvestia news organisation were questioned for 10 hours and one of them had his visa cancelled and was expelled.

Moldovans vote on Sunday in a presidential runoff that has been overshadowed by election meddling allegations and could see Moscow gain more influence in a diplomatic battleground between Russia and the European Union.

Moldova has told several EU nations that it believes Russia will try to disrupt voting by Moldovan expatriates at polling stations abroad in Sunday's presidential election, a Moldovan government source said.

President Maia Sandu is in a race seen as a choice between Europe and a return to Russian influence.

Pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu faces former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is backed by the traditionally pro-Russian Socialist Party.

Members of an electoral commission count votes after polling stations closed in the course of Moldova's presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union, in Chisinau, Moldova October 20,

Moldova's pro-EU President Maia Sandu is facing Alexandr Stoianoglo, whom she fired as prosecutor general in 2023, in a tense presidential election on Sunday. - Former prosecutor - Supported by the pro-Russian Socialists,