Russian drone explodes in Moldova, day after its opposition moves to suspend its pro-EU president. Analyst says that’s no coincidence

On September 30th, a Russian drone exploded near a civilian mobile operator's mast in Moldova, as reported by TV8. The attack, which occurred amidst a series of drone strikes on the country, may have a different motive according to Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian military analyst. Moldova, which is not part of NATO and borders Ukraine, has been a frequent target of Russia's drone war, with debris appearing frequently this year.

The timing of this strike is particularly noteworthy, as it comes just days into a fight over Moldova's pro-EU president. Following the incident, Moldova's air-monitoring system detected a second drone flying towards the northern town of Soroca on September 30th as well. The air traffic was suspended in Moldova's north and center. Parliament speaker Igor Grosu condemned the attack, stating that "Russia will answer for its war crimes."

The analyst's claim that this drone strike is not a coincidence, but rather part of a campaign by pro-Russian forces, aligns with the ongoing opposition's efforts against President Maia Sandu. On September 29th, 46 opposition lawmakers submitted a motion to suspend Sandu, a measure that required 67 out of 101 parliament members to pass and, if successful, would lead to a referendum within 30 days.

Kovalenko argues that pro-Russian forces are using periodic drone attacks as a means to destabilize Moldova, urging its citizens to get rid of Sandu to end the conflict.