Gabriel Călin

Gabriel Călin is one of the most active and loyal pro-Russian bloggers in Moldova. Videos published on his TikTok channel gather hundreds of thousands of views. On his TikTok, Telegram, and Youtube channels, Călin shares falsehoods and Russian propaganda narratives, speaks out against European integration and against the governing party and Maia Sandu. In unison with Russian propaganda exponents, Călin says that the Republic of Moldova is a state subservient to the USA and EU, and Maia Sandu and the governing party are just puppets in their hands. Other narratives promoted by Călin concern Moldova's involvement in the war in Ukraine, attacks on the Transnistrian region, Moscow's introduction of visas for Moldovans due to unfriendly actions towards Russia.

On his Youtube channel, he publishes interviews with politicians from Ilan Shor's entourage, as well as Kremlin-loyal activists. Starting in autumn 2022, he promoted the protests organised by the Shor Party and its leaders. In a recent interview, Călin acknowledges that he promotes Ilan Shor and Igor Dodon. The connection between Gabriel Călin and Ilan Shor's political projects is direct. The blogger participated, at the end of April 2024, in the launch event in Moscow of the so-called "Victoria" Bloc. Three days later, in Moscow, the "Evrazia" organisation was also launched, which officially aims to promote Russia's interests in the ex-Soviet space, but in reality is a financing channel for Ilan Shor's projects in Moldova. At the launch event of the "Evrazia" organisation, Evghenia Guțul and Vladimir Voronin (via Skype) participated, as well as Gabriel Călin, who also gave a speech. The Nokta.md portal previously wrote that the Eurasia organisation is the "sponsor" that would make monthly payments to some pensioners and public sector workers in Gagauzia through the Russian bank Promsvyazbank, and Ziarul de Gardă wrote about how dozens of children from Moldova ended up spending their vacation in the "re-education" camp for Ukrainian children, as part of a program financed by Shor's "Eurasia."

At the beginning of his career, Gabriel Călin was a respected journalist. He worked at TV7 (Observator program) and Jurnal TV. Between 2001 and 2003, he was a reporter at Accente newspaper. He worked at the deschide.md portal.

Starting in 2012, he entered oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc's pay, which he himself admitted. Politicians who today appear in Călin's live streams were previously the subjects of his investigations, during the period when he promoted Vlad Plahotniuc's messages while Călin was part of oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc's propaganda machinery. He then administered several news portals, such as Moldova24.info, Today.md, livenews.md, which became notable for the harsh and label-filled language used by authors. Călin said in an interview that the activity of Moldova24.md and Today.md sites was suspended due to lack of money. Călin and the sites he created were used by Plahotniuc in campaigns to intimidate and denigrate his political opponents. One of these portals published the sex tape involving former Prime Minister Vlad Filat.

The press wrote that in 2017, Călin suddenly disappeared from public life, fleeing to the USA following alleged misunderstandings related to how he spent significant amounts of money received from Plahotniuc and Shor. He later returned to the country, and after Plahotniuc's flight, he reappeared in the public space, this time serving in Ilan Shor's interest.

In August 2024, Călin announced on his social media platforms that he is launching the project Чемодан. Вокзал. Россия! (Suitcase. Station. Russia! - ed.), in which he will travel to the Russian Federation and show "how people live in remote regions of Russia." In one of the first episodes, he promotes Mir cards, through which Shor introduces illegal money into Moldova, actions investigated by the Money Laundering Prevention and Combating Service, as well as the Counter-Terrorism Service.

In October 2024, he announced on Telegram that he received warnings from TikTok about the possibility of closing his @calinlive account. For this reason, Gabriel Călin closed public access to this account for a period.