Moldova Accuses Russia of Deliberate Drone Airspace Violations

President Maia Sandu accused the Russian Federation of intentionally sending drones into Moldovan airspace to test the response capacity of the region. This follows a series of incursions between August 16 and August 18, 2026, including a Shahed drone that entered Moldova before being shot down by a Spanish F-18 fighter jet over Galați, Romania, and a Banderol loitering munition that exploded in a field in the Ștefan Vodă district on August 17.

On August 18, another unidentified aerial object exploded near the settlement of Talmaza, igniting a grass fire. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova condemned the event as a serious violation of national sovereignty and a direct risk to citizen safety. Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii reported that Moldova's airspace has been violated nearly 60 times since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, threatening the country's policy of neutrality.

Sandu dismissed diplomatic protests and the expulsion of Russia's ambassador-designate, Oleg Ozerov, as ineffective. She argued that while some drones arrive by accident, others are sent intentionally to test NATO's eastern flank, noting similar violations in Poland and Romania. Sandu maintained that the only way to stop these incursions is to ensure Ukraine's success in the war.