Moldova summons Russian ambassador over drone incident
Diplomatic tensions between the Republic of Moldova and Russia have intensified after several Russian drones crossed Moldovan airspace during an attack on the Ukrainian port of Reni, on the night of February 12-13.
The newly appointed Russian ambassador to Chișinău, Oleg Ozerov, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova on Wednesday, where he was presented with a formal protest note.
During the meeting, the Moldovan representatives strongly condemned the violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and presented fragments of the drones that had fallen on Moldovan soil as concrete evidence of the incident.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the unilateral denunciation of the Moldova-Russia Agreement on cultural centers, signed in 1998, which will result in the closure of the Russian Cultural Center in Chișinău after the completion of legal formalities.
Russia's Position
Following the meeting, the Russian ambassador refrained from acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility and stated that it was too early to draw conclusions regarding the drones' origin.
"We urge both the authorities and the media to avoid making hasty statements. Russia does not intend to escalate its relations with the Republic of Moldova, and the situation requires a detailed analysis," said Ozerov.
It should be noted that during the night of February 12-13, several Russian drones were detected flying over the airspace of the Republic of Moldova during an attack on the port of Reni, Ukraine.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
