Moldova summons Russian envoy, displays downed drone at Foreign Ministry

Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov to deliver a formal protest after Russian drones violated the country’s airspace.

During Ozerov’s visit to the ministry, Moldovan officials displayed debris from one of the drones shot down in the Florești district. Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi condemned the incident as an unacceptable breach of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said that evidence documenting the violation had already been forwarded to Moscow, Caliber.Az reports via Moldovan media.

Popșoi added that the government is considering “proportionate measures” in response, noting that any action would take into account both regional security dynamics and the experiences of neighbouring countries.

Ambassador Ozerov questioned the origin of the drone, saying the incident “must be investigated,” and suggested that operations in the region are sometimes conducted “under a foreign flag.”

He argued that the drone “could not physically” have traveled from its reported location in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region to Florești, and called for a shift in bilateral relations to avoid what he described as reactionary diplomatic protests.

The incident occurred shortly after both Romania and Moldova confirmed multiple airspace violations on November 25. Moldovan authorities recorded six drone flights that day, including one drone that landed on the roof of a rural building without causing damage.

By Sabina Mammadli