New Delhi, Sept. 11 -- Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned Tuesday that her country's democracy faces a "race against time" from what she said was attempts by Russia to influence parliamentary elections this month.

In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Sandu said the Sep. 28 vote to choose a new 101-seat legislature would be the "most consequential" election in the European Union-candidate country's history.

Sandu reiterated long-held allegations that Moscow is conducting a sprawling " hybrid war " against Moldova - through disinformation, vote-buying, illicit party funding, and myriad other tactics - to try to undermine the upcoming vote and derail Moldova's path toward EU membership.

"The Kremlin's goal is clear: to ...