Researchers say media outlet targeting Moldova is a Russian cutout

Researchers at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab link REST Media — a high‑reach online outlet amplifying anti‑EU narratives in Moldova — to the sanctioned Russian disinformation group Rybar, citing forensic overlaps (identical server configurations, FTP/control panel settings, and file metadata) and noting the outlet’s millions of views across TikTok, X and Telegram; the report warns REST is a proxy brand leveraging privacy-focused registrars and VPN-linked infrastructure to evade sanctions and sustain influence ahead of elections.