Speaker on Russia’s attack on Starokazacie, near Moldova’s border: It was deliberate. Civilian location was attacked

Speaker Igor Grosu says that the drone attack on Starokazacie border crossing in Ukraine, located approximately one kilometer from the border with the Republic of Moldova was deliberate and demonstrates that the danger of war is real and increasingly close to our country. He made the statements at a TV show.


“The Russian side acknowledged today, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, that it deliberately targeted this customs crossing, attempting to justify the attack by claiming that military equipment was supposedly being transported through there, which is false. The truth is very clear: the terrorist state, the Russian Federation, attacked a civilian location where citizens—men, women, children, and elderly people—were present, simply crossing the border in one direction or another,” said Igor Grosu.


He confirmed that, following the attack, a bus with Moldovan license plates caught fire, and the driver from the Republic of Moldova was injured.


“This was also evident from the images that appeared in the public domain, not necessarily released by television stations, but filmed by civilians at the scene. You have probably seen them as well: a bus with Moldovan license plates caught fire and was practically severely damaged. We also have a person who suffered minor injuries and who, at least according to the information available to us, refused hospitalization,” Igor Grosu said.


The attack took place during the night of September 8–9 at the Starokazacie border crossing, located on Ukrainian territory, in the immediate vicinity of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. According to the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova, one drone attacked the crossing, while two other unmanned aerial vehicles crashed nearby, all on Ukrainian territory. As a result of the attack, the Ukrainian crossing’s infrastructure was damaged, and operations at the Tudora–Starokazacie border crossing were suspended. Subsequently, the Ukrainian authorities announced that two civilians had died.

Three other people, including the driver from the Republic of Moldova, were injured.


“We must acknowledge that the incidence of drone incursions in 2026 has increased compared with 2022 and with all the years since the beginning of the war. This is an additional argument for those who still joked about this issue. There is nothing to joke about. The war is very close, the danger is real, and the intensity has increased,” Igor Grosu declared.


Grosu also referred to the incident in which a drone crossed the Republic of Moldova from east to west, near Chișinău International Airport, before returning to the country’s airspace and crashing near Mihăilești, in Rîșcani district. The authorities are seeking solutions to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, including the airspace near Chișinău International Airport.


“I can say that I have discussed this with the Minister of Defense and with the prime minister. Efforts are being made to find solutions to protect at least this area, this critical facility and critical infrastructure. We all realize that it is good to have technologies that allow us to monitor who enters our airspace, and that is what our military personnel did, but the second part, which is also very important, remains: interception,” Igor Grosu declared.


Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi said today after the Government meeting that the Republic of Moldova must strengthen its alert and defense systems. The minister announced that, with the support of the European Union, the Republic of Moldova is to acquire an integrated medium-range air defense system.