Less than two months before European voters in 27 countries take part in EU Parliament elections, Belgium says it is investigating pro-Russian networks that are trying to influence the vote.

Moscow’s aim was to bring more pro-Russian candidates into the European Parliament, said Prime Minister Alexander de Croo.

“Weakened support for Ukraine serves Russia on the battlefield,” he said.

The Czech government said recently that it had broken up a pro-Kremlin network.

Intelligence agencies both in Prague and Poland said the Voice of Europe news website had been funded by Moscow to spread propaganda and funnel cash to sympathetic European politicians. The website has not responded to the allegations.

Referring to the Czech revelations, Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said Belgian intelligence had confirmed that spy networks were operating in Belgium and several other European countries.

“The investigation shows that Moscow has approached European members of parliament, [and] has also paid European members of parliament in order to promote a Russian agenda here,” the Belgian prime minister said.

He said Belgian authorities had launched a prosecution but did not give names of anyone suspected of receiving money. No cash payment had taken place in Belgium itself although pro-Russian interference was going on, he explained.

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