Four drones illegally entered Moldova’s airspace within hours; northern airspace temporarily closed

Moldovan authorities said four drones entered the country’s airspace illegally on the morning of September 24, leading officials to temporarily close the airspace over the northern region while they monitored the situation. The Ministry of Defense and border police provided a timeline of incursions that unfolded between roughly 05:20 and 07:00 local time.

The first incident was recorded at about 05:20, when a border police patrol in the north observed a drone traveling from the direction of the Ukrainian locality Velikoe Koshnytsia (Vinnytsia region) toward the Moldovan village of Vasilcău in the Soroca district. That device then left Moldovan airspace, according to the authorities.

Roughly an hour later a second drone crossed into Moldova from the area of Chelimăuți in Ukraine’s Chernivtsi region, crossing the state border and traveling toward the village of Larga in Briceni district. That craft exited Moldovan airspace at approximately 06:16, the Ministry of Defense said.

Authorities said the series of incursions continued. At about 06:35 a third object entered national airspace from the direction of Prydnistrianske (Vinnytsia region, Ukraine) toward Volovița in Soroca district. Citizens later reported seeing an object flying along a route described by officials as Gura Căinarului–Lunga–Băhrinești–Gura Camencii in Florești district. That drone subsequently crashed near the village of Cernița, in a cornfield close to a farm. Police confirmed there were no victims from the crash.

A fourth drone was observed coming from the Vinnytsia region of Ukraine around 07:00. Moments later, monitoring systems lost track of the object near the area of Cunicea in Camenca district. Following the series of incidents, authorities closed the airspace over the northern area as a precautionary measure; the zone was reopened at 07:46.

The President of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu, commented on the incidents, saying the number of illegal drone entries into Moldova’s airspace has increased in recent weeks. He characterized the incursions as a direct risk to national security and a clear violation of Moldova’s sovereignty. Grosu urged citizens to remain calm and vigilant, to follow official guidance, and to report any suspicious objects immediately to state institutions.

Officials have not attributed responsibility for the drone flights to any particular actor, and the Ministry of Defense’s public statement limited itself to the details of the incursions and the safety outcome. Police and border services are continuing to monitor the border area and investigate the incidents, including the circumstances of the drone that crashed near Cernița.

The spate of incursions highlights growing concerns about airspace security along Moldova’s northern frontier. While there were no casualties reported in these events, the presence of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles over populated border regions raises questions about detection and response capabilities, potential threats to civilians and infrastructure, and the broader implications for Moldova’s territorial integrity amid regional tensions. Authorities have asked residents in border areas to report suspicious activity and follow official instructions as investigations proceed.