Russian Shahed drone briefly violates Moldovan airspace
A drone with characteristics matching a Russian-designed Shahed-238 (Gheran-3) breached Moldovan airspace overnight on August 10-11. Military radar systems tracked the aircraft as it crossed the border from Ukraine before exiting a minute later.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the Air Operations Service detected the unauthorized intrusion at 23:41. The drone entered Moldovan airspace near Priozeornoia from the direction of Stepanivka in Ukraine's Odessa region, exiting northward back into Ukrainian airspace at 23:42.
Defense officials confirmed that the drone's flight profile matched systems used in Russian airstrikes against the neighboring Odessa region that same night.
Defense Ministry warns of ongoing security risks
Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi emphasized that the war in Ukraine continues to pose severe security risks to Moldova and its citizens.
"Living next to an active conflict and Russia's ongoing, unjustified war against Ukraine poses a direct threat to Moldova and endangers our citizens," Nosatîi stated. "We firmly condemn this war and urge citizens to remain vigilant."
The Minister advised the public to follow safety protocols and immediately report any suspicious aerial objects to emergency services.
Radar systems confirmed unauthorized flight
Responding to inquiries regarding air defense tracking, Nosatîi confirmed that national radar systems successfully identified and logged the aircraft during its brief passage.
"The drone was detected by radar systems operated by the National Army," Nosatîi said. "Although the intrusion was brief, the illegal flight over national airspace was fully logged."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
