Moldovans voted by a razor-thin majority in favor of securing the country’s path toward European Union membership, electoral data showed Monday, after the pro-Western president accused foreign interference and “criminal groups” of trying to undermine the vote in the former Soviet republic.

Moldova, the EU and the United States said the Kremlin had waged a "hybrid war" campaign to destabilize the country and keep it in Russia's sphere of influence, including funding pro-Moscow parties, spreading disinformation and pouring millions of dollars into schemes to buy up 300,000 votes. Nearly 1.5 million Moldovans ultimately voted.

BRUSSELS, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Moldova's referendum on joining the European Union took place amid "unprecedented interference" by Russia and its proxies, an EU spokesperson said on Monday.