Moldova summons Russian envoy over airspace drone incident

On May 18, Russia’s designated ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Ozerov, was summoned once again to the foreign ministry in Chisinau after a drone breached Moldovan airspace last week, in the latest sign of rising tensions between the two countries.

The diplomat was seen entering the Moldovan foreign ministry building in central Chisinau on May 18 but declined to comment on the purpose of his visit, Caliber.Az reports, citing Moldovan media.

Leaving the ministry later, Ozerov said he would not provide any statements, adding that Russia’s official position had already been outlined in remarks by Maria Zakharova and on the embassy’s Telegram channel.

Moldova’s foreign ministry later confirmed that Ozerov had been summoned over a drone incident on May 13, when an unmanned aerial vehicle illegally entered Moldovan airspace.

“The Moldovan side delivered a note of protest regarding the serious and unacceptable violation of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that such incidents threaten the safety of citizens and regional stability,” the ministry said, adding that Chisinau had demanded explanations from the Russian side.

According to Moldovan authorities, the drone entered the country’s airspace from Ukraine. Residents in the northern city of Balti first reported spotting the UAV, which was later tracked by national army surveillance systems across several districts.

Authorities temporarily closed the airspace in northern Moldova following the incident.

The diplomatic dispute comes amid broader tensions over the separatist region of Transnistria. On May 15, reports emerged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed a decree simplifying the process for residents of Transnistria to obtain Russian citizenship.

The document stated that the measure was introduced “to protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, guided by generally recognised principles and norms of international law”.

Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu later said the Kremlin’s move could be linked to efforts to recruit additional soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. He added that the Moldovan government would discuss possible countermeasures following the decree and did not rule out summoning the Russian ambassador.

By Aghakazim Guliyev