Russian drone activity intensified around Moldova on September 8-9, with a Shahed drone crossing the country’s airspace from Ukraine into Romania, another or the same unmanned aircraft crashing in northern Moldova and a separate attack near a Moldovan-Ukrainian border crossing leaving two people dead.

Moldova’s Defence Ministry, cited by Deschide, said the Shahed entered Moldovan airspace at 16:20 from the direction of Slavianorebca in Ukraine and flew towards Bender, crossing the Transnistrian region. It then headed towards central Moldova, passing near Chisinau, disrupting the landing of several aircraft before reaching Bălănești and Cetireni in Ungheni district.

The drone left Moldovan airspace at 16:37 near Zagarancea, in Ungheni district, and continued towards Golăiești in Romania’s Iași county, according to the ministry. 

Separately, a drone of a model that has yet to be established crashed in a sunflower field outside Mihăilenii Vechi in Rîșcani district, Moldova’s police said. The crash caused four fires, but no injuries were reported. Specialist services were deployed to document the incident and establish the circumstances. Police urged residents not to approach the area. TV8 reported it was the same drone that crossed Moldova from Ukraine to Romania and later returned. Romania scrambled fighter jets and sent alerts in the eastern part of the country while closing Iasi airport temporarily, according to Digi24.

A further drone attack occurred overnight near the Tudora-Starokazacie border crossing between Moldova and Ukraine, Unimedia reported. The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service said on September 9 that two civilians had been killed and two others injured in the attack on the Ukrainian side. Their nationalities had not yet been established.

The attack damaged infrastructure at the Starokazacie crossing point, prompting the suspension of operations at the Tudora-Starokazacie crossing. Moldova’s Border Police said all people at the crossing were evacuated at 23:35 on September 8.

About five minutes later, a mobile patrol heard four explosions and observed flashes from explosions on Ukrainian territory in the direction of Tudora and Starokazacie. An air-raid alert was active in Ukraine at the time.

The Starokazacie crossing remains non-operational, while Moldovan authorities continue to document the drone crash in Rîșcani district.