Drone breaches Moldova airspace amid Russian strikes on Ukraine

A drone illegally flew into Moldovan airspace on Wednesday evening, the Moldovan Ministry of Defense reported, citing the "Newsmaker" outlet. The aircraft was detected at 5:38 PM, entering Moldovan airspace from Ukrainian territory near the Palanca settlement. Five minutes later, the object re-entered Ukrainian territory from the Tudora settlement, located near the Hradnytsia village in Odesa Oblast.

The incursion occurred as Russia conducted air strikes against Ukraine. The ministry stated that the unauthorized flight took place "after today's Russian air strikes against Ukraine."

This incident follows damage to infrastructure at the international Vynohradivka-Vulcanesti border crossing on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border during a Russian drone attack on Tuesday night. Traffic through the crossing was halted. Another Russian drone attack on the night of August 21 hit infrastructure at the Tabaki international border crossing with Moldova in Odesa Oblast.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Russia's strikes on border crossings along the Ukrainian-Moldovan border are intended to destabilize the region and disrupt transport links between the two countries.