power infrastructure as the two countries' power grids are highly integrated, with Moldova highly reliant on Ukrainian electricity imports. Anti-government protests In 2022, protests demanding the resignation of the ruling pro-Western government began being held in the capital amid economic hardships. The protesters espoused pro-Russian and anti-Western views. The protests have been organised by the pro-Russian Șor Party and protesters paid to attend by the party with funds provided by the party's wealthy leader Ilan Shor, with protesters also being offered free rides to the capital to attend the protests. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's remarks On February 2, 2023, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that "the West" intends to transform Moldova into "another anti-Russia" and the "next Ukraine", and installed president Maia Sandu as a "Western puppet" to get Moldovia to join NATO and the European Union. Government resignation On February 10, 2023, Moldova's pro-Western government resigned amid economic turmoil and repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Coup plot allegations On February 9, 2023, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian intelligence had intercepted plans by Russian intelligence to overthrow the democratically elected government of Moldova to establish control over the country. The allegations were subsequently corroborated by Moldovan intelligence. On 13 February 2023, the president of Moldova Maia Sandu said Moldovan authorities have confirmed the existence of the plot first revealed by Zelenskyy, and revealed details of the alleged plot. She said the coup plan involved using saboteurs with military training dressed in civilian clothes to stage attacks (including on state buildings), and take hostages. The Moldovan government was to be overthrown and replaced with a puppet government. The plan allegedly involved an alliance between criminal groups and two exiled Moldovan oligarchs. She said Russian, Montenegrin, Belarusian, and Serbian citizens were to enter Moldova to incite protests as part of the coup plan; Moldovan intelligence believes foreign provocateurs would be used to foment violent unrest during the anti-government protests. Foreign citizens were also to be involved in violent actions. She credited Ukrainian partners for uncovering locations and logistical aspects of the plot. Measures Airspace closure On February 14, a day after the coup plot allegations were made public, Moldova briefly closed its airspace after a small object resembling a weather balloon was detected in its airspace over the north of the country, near the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. Its airspace was re-opened after authorities ascertained the object posed no