Hello and welcome back to Moldova Matters! Today I planned to send a quick email letting my readers know that I’m on vacation this week and will return next week with a full roundup. That said, there was one important bit of news we need to cover so here we go.
On the night of June 7 a drone crossed into Moldova airspace and apparently exploded in a field near the town of Lopatna in the Orhei district. Lopatna is located on the Nistru river immediately across from Transnistria. The Ministry of Defense stated that the Army picked the drone up on radar at 00:20 which is around the same time residents called police to report the sound of an explosion. No one was hurt in the incident.
Security services responded to the call and found drone fragments. The next day journalists recorded images of a small crater - around the depth of a large bucket - in the field.
Few details about the apparent drone strike have been reported and what we do know includes sharply conflicting statements. The Ministry of Foriegn Affairs put out a statement saying that “according to preliminary data, it is most likely that the drone is of Ukrainian origin.” They went on to state:
"Regardless of the drone's origin, Russia, which started an illegal war in a neighboring country, bears responsibility for any drone that enters Moldovan territory. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainians who are fighting and giving their lives for the freedom of their country, as well as for peace on the European continent, including peace in Moldova,"
At the same time, Ukraine’s Foriegn Minister put out a statement on X writing:
"Another Russian drone crashed in Moldovan territory during Russia's massive attack on Ukraine last night. We express our full support to our friends in Moldova and note their continued condemnation of Russian aggression. This incident clearly demonstrates that Moscow poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but to the entire region and all of Europe,"
Moldova’s Ministry did not comment to various outlets on the discrepancy.
Earlier on June 7 President Sandu gave an interview with journalist Nicolae Chicu where she stated that the country must begin manufacturing defensive interceptor drones. She stated:
“We need to start producing drones that can intercept and shoot down drones. (…) I have asked the Government, especially in the context of the latest events, to prepare the amendment of the legislation. Because, on the one hand, the state must produce these drones and anti-drones, but on the other hand, we must also allow the private sector. For example, our state does not have these new technologies, we do not have experts, because we have not trained such experts. But there are foreign investors who have these technologies, it’s just that the law does not allow it today (…) Because we need to have these interceptor drones that combat drones that come more and more often to the territory of our country and create real dangers ,”
We’ll come back with updates on this story in the main roundup.