Moldovan Airspace Drone Incursion
Moldova closes central airspace after unauthorized drone incursion from neighboring Ukraine.
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Moldova’s Defense Ministry said the drone entered from near Slavianorebca, Ukraine, at about 4:20 p.m., initially headed toward Bender, then changed course toward Chisinau at 4:32 p.m. and was detected near Bălănești four minutes later.
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The drone exited Moldova near Zagarancea in Ungheni district at 4:37 p.m., heading toward Golaești in Romania’s Iași County; Moldova had closed central airspace at 4:30 p.m. and reopened it after the drone left.
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Moldovan forces reportedly detected the aircraft again after it reentered from the direction of Iași; radar contact was later lost and then restored near Drochia before the crash was reported.
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The two aircraft scrambled by Romania were Spanish Air and Space Force F-18 fighter jets deployed for enhanced air policing at the Mihail Kogălniceanu 57th Air Base; Romanian officials said the target entered about 30 kilometers southeast of Iași, with radar contact lost at 5:02 p.m. near the Iași–Botoșani border.
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The incident followed earlier drone-related events in Moldova: five drones entered Moldovan airspace after a Russian strike on Ukraine on August 27, while a Russian Banderol-type drone entered on August 17 and crashed near Talmaza, causing a fire.
Moldova temporarily closed its airspace on September 8 after a Shahed-type drone entered from Ukraine, prompting authorities to track the aircraft as it moved toward Chisinau and Ungheni Winnipeg Free Press. The unmanned aircraft later crossed into Romania, where two Spanish fighter jets were scrambled to intercept it, before crashing near Stari Mihăileni in Moldova's Rîșcani district and igniting dry vegetation with no reported injuries Yahoo News.
Drone Tracked Across Moldova in Minutes
The Shahed drone entered Moldovan airspace near Slavianorebca at 4:20 p.m., initially flying toward Bender before changing course toward Chisinau at 4:32 p.m. Winnipeg Free Press. Moldova's Defense Ministry detected the aircraft near Bălănești four minutes later. The country closed its central airspace at 4:30 p.m. as a precaution.
The drone exited Moldova near Zagarancea in Ungheni district at 4:37 p.m., heading into Romania's Iași County. Moldovan forces later reported detecting the aircraft again after it reentered from Romania's direction. Radar contact was lost, then restored near Drochia before the crash occurred Yahoo News.
Romanian Jets Launch Interception Mission
Spain's Air and Space Force deployed F-18 fighter jets at Romania's Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base scrambled to intercept the target. Romanian officials detected the drone about 30 kilometers southeast of Iași Yahoo News. Radar contact was lost at 5:02 p.m. near the Iași–Botoșani border.
The incident marks the second time Romanian jets responded to an aerial intrusion during Russian attacks on Ukraine. Spain's 57th Air Squadron operates enhanced air policing missions across the region to protect NATO airspace.
Pattern of Unauthorized Drone Entries Continues
This September 8 incursion is not isolated. On August 27, five drones entered Moldovan airspace during a Russian strike on Ukraine. Just two weeks earlier, a Russian Banderol-type drone crossed the border on August 17 and crashed near Talmaza, causing a fire Winnipeg Free Press.
Moldova, a non-NATO country bordering Ukraine, sits in a vulnerable position. The repeated intrusions demonstrate that Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian targets regularly spill into neighboring airspace, creating security challenges for the small nation.
Zelenskyy's Flight Delayed by Security Threat
The drone incursion occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was traveling from Moldova to Norway for a state funeral Washington Post. His flight was delayed due to the airspace closure and security concerns posed by the incoming unmanned aircraft.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre later reported that Zelenskyy's plane nearly encountered the drone during the incident. The close call underscores how Russian strikes targeting Ukraine increasingly threaten civilian and government air traffic in the region Washington Post.
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