Russian drone violates Moldovan and Romanian airspace, crashes in Moldova
Spanish F/A-18 fighter jets, deployed as part of a NATO air-policing mission, were scrambled.
On September 8, a suspected Russian drone violated Moldovan and Romanian airspace, prompting airspace closures, emergency alerts, and the deployment of NATO fighter jets. The Moldovan military detected the unmanned aerial vehicle at 4:20 p.m. local time, identifying it as a Shahed-type drone entering from Ukraine's direction. The military tracked the drone until it exited Moldovan airspace at 4:37 p.m., flying towards Golaiesti in Romania.
Spanish F/A-18 fighter jets were scrambled from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base after the drone entered Romanian airspace. Romanian authorities issued emergency warnings to residents in several regions, advising them to seek shelter in basements or civil protection shelters. Iasi International Airport temporarily halted takeoffs and landings until the intruding drone departed the area. Romanian radars lost contact with the drone around 17:00 local time.
The drone ultimately crashed in the Mihaileni Vechi area, Republic of Moldova, located about 25 kilometers east of the Romanian border, near Botosani County, according to the Romanian government. Russia has frequently violated the airspace of both Romania and Moldova in recent months, with the latest incident occurring on August 16.
NATO fighter jets shot down a suspected Russian drone near the Moldovan border, marking the fourth such instance this year. On August 17, a Russian S8000 Banderol cruise missile entered Moldovan airspace during an attack on Odessa before crashing in a cornfield near the village of Talmaz in Moldova's Stefan Voda district.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
