Moldova Closes Airspace After Drone Incursions

Moldova temporarily shut its airspace for nearly an hour overnight after unidentified drones crossed into its territory, prompting emergency aviation measures.

Earlier in the week, Moldovan authorities reported that a drone had crashed on their soil and that six others had flown over the country.

The Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that the airspace closure lasted “around one hour and ten minutes” before 11 p.m. local time on Friday.

The ministry explained that the emergency procedure was triggered after two unidentified drones illegally entered Moldovan airspace, posing a “direct threat to flight safety.” Moldovan radar systems did not detect the aircraft, but Ukrainian border authorities confirmed the incursion.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that no debris or hazardous objects were found and confirmed that the drones eventually exited Moldovan airspace and moved deeper into Ukrainian territory.

During the incident, two commercial flights were diverted to Romania, and a third aircraft preparing to depart from Chisinau was temporarily halted.

Moldova strongly condemned the drone activity, calling the incursions “illegal and dangerous acts that endangered civil aviation and lives,” and described them as hostile attempts at intimidation and destabilization.