Moldova summons Russian ambassador over drone incident

Moldova’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called in Russia’s ambassador to Chisinau after it said a Russian drone had violated the country’s airspace the previous day.

In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said that the ambassador was handed a note of protest over what it described as a "serious violation of national sovereignty and the risks created for the security of citizens."

It urged Russia to avoid any actions that could endanger Moldova's security and to strictly respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Monday, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said that a drone crossed its airspace and exploded after crashing near the southeastern village of Copanca during what it described as a suspected Russian attack on Ukraine's Odesa region.

"This new incident constitutes a serious and unacceptable violation of the airspace of the Republic of Moldova and confirms once again that the war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine generates direct risks to the security of our citizens and the entire region," the ministry said.

Russia has yet to comment on Moldova's statements.