Five unmanned aerial vehicles crashed across northern and eastern Moldova within a 17-hour window. Moldova condemned Russia for the airspace breaches, which resulted in minor injuries and limited damage.
The airspace breaches unfolded over the course of just over 17 hours on Thursday and Friday. According to authorities who identified the drones as Russian, the aircraft came down primarily in the northern and eastern regions of the country. The impacts caused one minor injury and limited property damage.
This flurry of aerial incursions follows a separate incident the previous week, when a drone crashed roughly 35 kilometers from the capital city of Chisinau. Moldova shares a border with Ukraine and has frequently criticized airspace violations linked to the ongoing conflict.
Foreign Ministry Condemns Crashes
The Foreign Ministry responded with a sharp formal statement following the crashes, summoning Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov to demand clarifications regarding the downed aircraft.
These occurrences pose a threat to citizens' safety and demonstrate the direct consequences of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine on regional stability,
the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
That translated statement connects the scattered drone wreckage directly to the war across its border.
Moldovan President Refuses Kremlin Ambassador Credentials
The latest security breaches compound an already frozen diplomatic relationship between the Moldovan government and the Kremlin. President Maia Sandu routinely condemns Russian actions and aligns her administration with a stated goal of joining the European Union by the year 2030.
Although Ambassador Ozerov has resided in Moldova for more than two years, Sandu has refused to allow him to present his official credentials.
Kremlin Demands Policy Changes
Moscow has openly accused Sandu of pursuing hostile, anti-Russian measures. Speaking on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that any diplomatic thaw remains contingent on a complete reversal of Chisinau’s current stance.
any improvement in relations with Moldova will only be possible if “Sandu’s government abandons its policies based on hatred of Russia”
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin Spokesperson
Mr Peskov added regarding bilateral relations that conditions for improvement require abandoning what Moscow terms policies based on hatred of Russia under Sandu’s administration.
