Three missiles and two drones crossed Moldova’s airspace on Saturday morning. Fragments later turned up in three eastern districts, marking a breach of the country’s airspace and territory. Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Russian air-attack weapons entered Moldovan airspace and exploded on Moldovan soil. The incident caused a fire; no one was reported injured or killed.
Moldova’s Airspace Breached
Local authorities said the missiles and drones crossed Moldovan airspace between 7.45 a.m. and 8 a.m. Fragments later turned up in the eastern districts of Hincesti, Anenii Noi and Causeni. Police secured the debris.
Sandu condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine and described the danger to Moldova in a post on X. “I condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine this morning. Its war is dangerously reaching Moldova,” she wrote. She added: “Russian air attack weapons, including Banderol missiles and drones, violated our airspace and exploded on our soil.”
The reported incident involved a direct violation of Moldova’s airspace and an explosion on its territory. Local authorities reported fragments in three districts, a fire and a police deployment. No casualties were reported.
The Spillover From Ukraine
The breach came as Russia attacked Ukraine. Ukrainian regional authorities said those attacks killed at least eight civilians and injured 83 others in the previous day. Ukrainian regional authorities provided the figures.
Moldova has faced numerous airspace violations and collateral damage as Russia’s full-scale war continued in neighboring Ukraine. According to the report, tensions have also grown between Chisinau’s pro-EU government and Moscow. The Saturday crossing followed three separate airspace violations in Moldova on the preceding Wednesday, when Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles.
The earlier violations and Saturday’s incident show repeated breaches of Moldovan airspace alongside attacks in neighboring Ukraine. The reported details specify the number and types of weapons seen Saturday, the time they crossed and the districts where fragments turned up. Police secured the debris after people found it.
Other European Airspace Incidents
Lithuania temporarily closed its airport in Vilnius for about an hour on Saturday morning after someone spotted a dangerous object in the skies. Authorities scrambled NATO jets. The report said the object may have crossed the border from Belarus, though that route wasn’t confirmed.
European countries have seen a growing number of incidents, hybrid attacks, sabotage attempts and airspace violations amid rising tensions with Russia. The report links Moldova’s repeated airspace incidents to the continuing war in neighboring Ukraine and notes a separate alert in Lithuania that same Saturday.
In Moldova, local authorities reported three missiles and two drones over the country, fragments in Hincesti, Anenii Noi and Causeni, and a fire with no casualties. Sandu condemned Russia and said the war was reaching Moldova. Police secured the debris after the reported breach.