Violations of Moldovan Airspace
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Moldova has documented 54 instances where its airspace was breached by Russian missiles and drones. These incidents have occurred across the entire country, including the northern regions, central areas, the south, and Transnistria. Notably, drones or their explosive fragments have been found on Moldovan territory at least nine times. Moldova, a neutral state and EU candidate, finds its security directly impacted by the spillover from the neighboring war.
In response to these repeated violations, Moldovan authorities have summoned Russian diplomats for explanations. The former Russian ambassador, Oleg Vasnetsov, was summoned three times, while the current ambassador, Oleg Ozerov, has been called in on four occasions. Moldova also intends to seek compensation from Russia for damage caused to the Isaccea-Vulcănești power line.
Incident Documentation and National Security Threats
Moldovan state bodies are meticulously documenting every overflight and fragment, storing and analyzing this information to assess threats to national security. As noted by the publication NewsMaker:
"We document every overflight and every fragment. The information is stored and analyzed to assess threats to national security" - NewsMaker.
Among the localities where incidents have been recorded are the following places:
- Ocnița
- Briceni
- Soroca
- Edineț
- Rîșcani
- Orhei
- Criuleni
- Telenești
- Stăuceni
- Drochia
- Tudora
- Palanca
- Crocmaș
- Căușeni
- Taraclia
- Etulia
- Ceadîr-Lunga
- Tiraspol
- Bender
- Cobasna
- Camenca
These events have caused serious concern in Moldova, indicating a sharp escalation of tensions in the region. The situation underscores how Russia's military actions in Ukraine pose significant risks to neighboring countries. The airspace violations raise immediate safety alarms but also demonstrate Moldova's active efforts to respond to these threats and defend its sovereignty. The demands for compensation and the diplomatic summons reflect the Moldovan government's serious intent to assert its interests on the international stage.
In light of these escalating violations, Moldova is taking further steps to address the situation, including pursuing reparations from Russia for the damage inflicted on its infrastructure. This move highlights the urgent need for national security measures, as detailed in a related report on Moldova's declaration of a national energy emergency. For more information on this critical development, see Moldova's efforts to obtain compensation for power line damages.