A flight scheduled to carry Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Norway was delayed after Moldovan authorities closed the country’s airspace due to a drone incursion, a government spokesperson said Wednesday.
Moldovan police reported that a Russian drone crashed on Tuesday in a sunflower field near a village in Riscani district, causing four fires but no injuries.
Airspace Closure and Flight Delays
On Wednesday, government spokesperson Dumitru Ciorici stated that Moldova closed its airspace on Tuesday afternoon to protect aircraft flying over the country at the time. The closure delayed three departures, including the one carrying Zelenskyy.
Moldovan authorities confirmed the drone came down and exploded 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chișinău International Airport. The airspace restrictions were later lifted, and Zelenskyy’s plane took off later than scheduled.
Drone Trajectory and International Response
The drone that entered Moldovan airspace on Tuesday crossed into neighboring Romania, a NATO member, where it was tracked through several northeastern counties.
Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said two F-18 aircraft of the Spanish Air and Space Forces were scrambled to monitor its trajectory before it reentered Moldovan airspace.
Investigation into the Drone
On Wednesday, Moldova’s police reported that explosives experts discovered fragments of the drone featuring a propulsion system and characteristics similar to a Geran-type drone, which Moscow has used extensively in its full-scale war in Ukraine.
“Investigations identified the point of impact, where an explosion occurred and a crater of considerable size was formed,” police said, adding that specialists are continuing investigations “to determine the type and mass of the explosive payload.”
Ongoing Drone Incidents in the Region
Ukraine neighbors both Romania and Moldova. Since Russia’s full invasion in 2022, both countries have reported dozens of drone incidents.