Blast marks Moldova’s third airspace breach in nine days
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that a Russian Banderol crossed the border, but Moldovan investigators could not conclusively identify the wreckage.
An unidentified aerial object detonated in a field near Talmaza, southeastern Moldova, on 18 August, leaving a crater approximately two meters wide and 50 centimeters deep. The blast's shockwave affected a roughly 45 by 20 meter area but caused no casualties. Moldova's Defense Ministry reported this to be the third airspace breach in the country within a nine-day span.
The explosion was part of intensifying Russian attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea and Danube ports, with drones and missiles nearing Moldova's southern border. Police recovered fragments of fiberglass, damaged electronics, and a turbojet engine, which officials identified as belonging to a jet-powered missile-drone, although the aircraft's type remained undetermined.
Ukrainian Air Force stated on 17 August that a Russian Banderol had crossed from Odesa Oblast into Moldova, possibly near Transnistria, a Russian-backed region in Moldova. Moldova's airspace was closed for about 15 minutes before the object disappeared from radar. Authorities termed the incident a severe violation of Moldova's sovereignty and a threat to public safety.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
