Moldova summons Russia’s chargé d’affaires after drones violate its airspace

Moldova’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Chișinău, Oleg Ozerov, on Thursday after Russian drones violated Moldovan airspace during large-scale attacks on Ukraine, as Moldova Live reports.

At least three drones illegally entered Moldova’s airspace on September 30, while Russia was carrying out a broad wave of attacks on Ukraine. Two of them fell and exploded on Moldovan territory, alarming the authorities in Chișinău.

The most serious incident occurred near the village of Brănești, in the Orhei district: a ‘Geran’-type drone, equipped with a jet engine, struck trees and exploded near a public road. Its fragments were found within a radius of about 120 metres, traffic in the area was temporarily suspended and the airspace over central Moldova was closed.

Moldova’s Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi said one of the drones was travelling at a speed of around 400 kilometres per hour, underlining the seriousness of the incident.

Moldova’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the violation, stressing that such incidents directly threaten the safety of Moldovan citizens. It called on Russia to immediately stop its attacks on Ukraine and any action that endangers Moldova’s territory and population. According to the same announcement, Ozerov was expected at the ministry on Thursday afternoon.