Sandu: Russia is deliberately directing drones into Moldovan airspace

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of deliberately directing some drones into the country’s airspace.

She made the statement on August 17 in a broadcast on Teleradio Moldova, according to the Moldovan outlet Newsmaker.

According to Sandu, analysis of flight trajectories makes it possible to distinguish between accidental airspace violations and intentional ones.

“I believe that some of them end up there by accident, while others end up there because they are directed there — and not only into our airspace, but into the airspace of other countries in the region. By analyzing the flight trajectories of these drones, we can determine which ones were directed there intentionally and which ended up there by accident,” Sandu said.

Escalating airspace violations

The president’s remarks came against the backdrop of a series of drone incidents near Moldova’s borders over the past week. In the night of August 15 to 16, a Spanish F-18 fighter jet carrying out a NATO air policing mission shot down a drone that had crossed the border from Moldova into Romania — the fourth such interception over Romanian territory this year, Reuters reports. NATO stated that the drone was “most likely of Russian origin.”

On August 9, a drone-missile exploded near the village of Crokmaz in southern Moldova, damaging residential buildings. On August 10, a drone resembling a jet-powered Shahed entered Moldovan airspace from the direction of Ukraine’s Odesa region but turned back after a minute. Moldova’s Defense Ministry also identified a Shahed-136 drone that flew through the country’s territory and was subsequently shot down over Romania. Following the August 9 explosion, Moldova recalled its ambassador from Russia for consultations.

Diplomatic measures deemed ineffective

When asked about the possible expulsion of Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov, Sandu expressed skepticism.

“Do you think that is the method that will stop Russia? I don’t think so,” she said, noting that protest notes sent to Moscow had had no effect.

In Sandu’s view, the most effective response is to support Ukraine.

“The most important thing that can be done to stop these drones from flying over the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and other territories is to help Ukraine and ensure its victory in this war,” the president said.

A test of NATO’s eastern flank

The incidents fit into a broader pattern of airspace violations affecting NATO allies. Since late July, Romania has shot down four drones, and similar violations have been recorded over Poland.

An analysis by Spot Media published on Monday, citing Western intelligence sources, reported that Vladimir Putin held a secret meeting at which he demanded the “collapse of NATO and the EU from within,” with Moldova viewed as a strategic foothold. On August 6, German police discovered an explosive-laden drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle Airport — an incident that Western officials have characterized as a manifestation of Russia’s hybrid war against Europe.