After being accepted into the 500 startups accelerator LinguaTrip received an automatic $100,000 investment and experienced immense press attention from Russia and Silicon Valley.

In the end, the payment was met when the government’s State of Emergency Commission ordered the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to turn over to gas utility Moldovagaz $26 million originally intended to subsidise consumers' gas bills.

The EU should respond to the Russian threat to Ukraine by making use of its main strength – economic influence. There is no other way for the union to persuade the great powers struggling over Europe’s future that it is a force to be reckoned with.

Russia marshalled tanks, drones, paratroopers and ships as part of a new show of force in its drive to secure “security guarantees” focusing on undertakings to ensure no further eastward expansion of NATO.