On the night of 24 September, a real drama unfolded over Moldova: four Russian drones invaded the country’s airspace. As Moldova’s President Maia Sandu reported, one of the drones exploded in the north of the republic, providing further confirmation of the threat that Russian military aggression poses to the whole of Europe. Moldova, as before, stands firmly with Ukraine and condemns the ongoing war.
The incident in Moldova was not the only one that day. Neighbouring Romania also reported a breach of its airspace. On the morning of 24 September, the country’s Ministry of National Defence radars detected an unidentified aerial target which crossed the Ukrainian border and entered Romanian airspace. Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to assess and monitor the situation; however, the target remained in Romanian airspace for only about four minutes before crashing near the village of Solca, in Suceava County.
According to representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Defence, there were no casualties as a result of the incident. Teams from the Ministry of the Interior who arrived at the scene discovered a small drone; no fire broke out, and the perimeter was promptly secured.
This incident once again highlights the tensions in the region. Earlier in July, following a series of airspace violations, Romania expelled a Russian diplomat. At that time, the wreckage of one of the aircraft was found to be parts of a ‘Shahed’ drone, used by Russia in military operations against Ukraine.
The situation casts a shadow over the world, illustrating how quickly a local conflict can escalate into a wider threat. All this underlines the need for international cooperation and decisive measures to ensure security in the region.