Drone intrudes into Moldovan airspace during Russia’s attack on Ukraine
Photo: Shahed drone (Getty Images)
During Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine, a drone crossed into the territory of the Republic of Moldova, after which its movement was tracked in several regions of the country, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova.
Drone enters Moldovan airspace
According to Moldova’s Ministry of Defense, on May 13 at around 4:00 PM local time, a drone crossed the country’s border from the direction of the Ukrainian city of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, heading toward the village of Sauca in the Ocnița district. The information was provided by the Air Operations Service of the National Army.
At 4:05 PM, local residents spotted the drone over Bălți. According to the ministry, the aircraft continued moving toward the Ungheni district.
Airspace temporarily closed
The ministry said the drone was again detected by airspace surveillance systems provided by the National Army at 4:19 PM.
At 4:23 PM, it was spotted in the area of Cărpineni in the Hîncești district, from where it continued moving south.
In response to the situation, authorities temporarily closed the airspace in the northern and central parts of Moldova. The restrictions were later lifted.
Drone disappeared and reappeared on the radar
According to updated data from the Ministry of Defense, tracking of the drone continued until 4:26 PM, when it disappeared from radar near Mingir in the Hîncești district.
Later, the drone reappeared in the monitoring zone. At 4:55 PM, it was detected in the area of Colibași in the Cahul district, and a few minutes later it flew near the Prut Gorge. After that, it disappeared from radar near Giurgiulești
The Moldovan Ministry of Defense urged residents to follow safety measures and call 112 if they detect suspicious objects in the air.
The statement comes as Brussels plans to accelerate Moldova’s EU accession process, although no exact timeline for the start of official negotiations has been announced.
