BUCHAREST – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chișinău summoned the Russian ambassador on Thursday after several Russian military drones crossed the southern region of Moldova during the night of February 12-13. The massive attack on Ukraine’s Reni port on the Danube triggered an air raid alert in Romania as well.
Moldovan authorities announced on Thursday that overnight, between Wednesday and Thursday, multiple drones crossed into Moldovan territory following a large-scale drone attack on Ukraine’s Reni port, near the borders of Moldova and Romania, as reported by border police patrols.
Two of them crashed in southern Moldova, causing no casualties.
“Moldova has not attacked anyone; we have not claimed any foreign territory… Yet Russian drones and bombs are falling and exploding in our villages,” President Maia Sandu wrote on Facebook, adding that Moldova lacks “the necessary capabilities” to defend itself.
President Maia Sandu called the situation “a serious matter” and accused politicians who oppose strengthening the country’s defence capabilities of “betrayal.”
She reaffirmed Chișinău’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with European states and modernizing the national army to ensure citizens’ security.
The President of the Parliament, Igor Grosu, also strongly condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. “This is the first time that a real, military drone with an explosive payload has fallen on our territory… We strongly condemn Russia’s massive airstrikes on Ukraine and the violation of Moldova’s airspace,” Igor Grosu said.
The foreign ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov and presented him with fragments of the drones that had fallen in Moldova, which bore the inscription “Geran-2.”
The diplomat did not acknowledge that the drones belonged to Russia, claiming that the evidence was “insufficient” and called for “further investigations.”
Moldova’s foreign ministry stated that the drone fragments are concrete proof of the violation of the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. It called on Russian authorities to “immediately cease these incursions.”
The ambassador was informed that the Russian Cultural Centre in Chișinău would be closed.
Romanian authorities also reported that two drones had crashed on their territory.
Romania’s ministry of defence confirmed that both drones, of the Geran-2 type used by Russia, carried explosive payloads that were destroyed upon impact with the ground.
In his first statement after being designated interim president, Ilie Bolojan avoided making any remarks on foreign policy, stating only that Romania would be “well represented internationally, with dignity and seriousness.”
(Catalina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)