Russian drone explodes in Moldova after crossing country's airspace
Russian drone explodes near city in Moldova (illustrative photo: RBC-Ukraine collage)
On the morning of September 30, a drone crossed into Moldovan airspace before crashing and exploding near the village of Hîrbovăț and the city of Bender, according to Moldovan police and Ukrainian Lieutenant Andrii Kovalenko.
According to police, the incident occurred in the morning at around 5:40 a.m. They received a report that a drone had been spotted flying at low altitude over the city of Bender.
The aircraft later crashed outside a populated area near the village of Hîrbovăț in the Anenii Noi district, where it exploded. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties.
Specialized police units are currently working at the site of the drone crash and explosion. Experts warned residents that they need to inspect the object and establish all the circumstances of the incident.
Police are urging people not to approach or touch possible debris or suspicious objects and to avoid the area until the inspection is complete.
According to Ukrainian Lieutenant Andrii Kovalenko, it was a Russian drone that exploded in Moldova.
Russian drone crashes and explodes near Moldovan city pic.twitter.com/G4qIiAY8UM
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) September 30, 2026
"A Russian drone exploded near the city of Bender in Moldova," he wrote.
Russian drones increasingly enter Moldova
On September 20, Moldova reported the flight and explosion of unidentified objects.
On September 19, several unidentified drones that violated the country's airspace were detected in the Ștefan Vodă district of Moldova.
The previous night, on September 18, a powerful explosion occurred near the village of Colonița, located close to Chișinău. Residents heard a loud sound at around 4 a.m., after which law enforcement officers began inspecting the surrounding area.
Moldova's Ministry of Defense said it was unable to detect a combat drone carrying explosives that crashed near Chișinău. According to the ministry, this was due to the drone's high speed and low flight altitude.
Another similar incident occurred on September 12. Moldova temporarily restricted the use of part of its airspace because of an unidentified drone that entered the country from Ukraine. Several flights at Chișinău International Airport were delayed as a result.
