Drone Incursion Forces Airspace Closure, Delays Zelenskyy's Flight from Moldova
Moldova closed its airspace after a Russian drone crashed, delaying a flight carrying President Zelenskyy to Norway. No injuries were reported.
A scheduled flight carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Norway was delayed on Tuesday after Moldovan authorities temporarily closed the country's airspace due to a drone incursion. The decision was made to ensure the safety of aircraft flying over Moldovan territory at the time, according to a government spokesperson.
The disruption followed the discovery of a crashed Russian drone in a sunflower field on the outskirts of a village in the Riscani district. Moldovan police reported that the impact sparked four separate fires, but no injuries were sustained. Explosives experts later identified fragments of the drone, noting its propulsion system and characteristics were similar to a Geran-type drone, a model Moscow has frequently deployed in its war against Ukraine.
The drone entered Moldovan airspace before crossing into neighboring Romania, a NATO member, where it was tracked across several northeastern counties. Spanish Air and Space Forces F-18 aircraft were scrambled to monitor its trajectory before it reentered Moldovan airspace.
Moldovan authorities confirmed the drone came down and exploded approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chișinău International Airport. Police stated that investigators located the point of impact, where an explosion created a considerable crater. Specialists are continuing their examination to determine the type and mass of the explosive payload.
The airspace restrictions were lifted after the incident, and Zelenskyy's plane eventually took off later than originally scheduled. Both Romania and Moldova, which share a border with Ukraine, have reported dozens of similar drone incidents since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.