Two drones illegally crossed Moldova

The airspace of the Republic of Moldova was temporarily closed on the night of November 28 to 29, 2025, for one hour and 10 minutes, between 22:43 and 23:53, after two unidentified drones illegally flew over the national territory. The measure was ordered by authorities as an emergency response to ensure aviation safety.

The first signal regarding the drones was received at 22:50 through the military authorities' operational channels. Subsequently, the information was confirmed by Ukrainian border structures, which identified the devices as Gerbera-type drones. They crossed the airspace on Stanislavka (Odessa region) – Vărăncău (the left of the Dniester) route, without being detected on radar. Otaci Border Police Sector patrol reported specific sounds from the pilotless aircraft.

In the context of a major risk to civil aviation, the Civil Aviation Authority issued a NOTAM alert and ordered the immediate closure of the airspace. The measure affected three commercial flights: Paris – Chișinău (5F 5902) and Barcelona – Chișinău (5F 5512) were diverted to Bacău Airport (Romania), and Chișinău – Sharm El-Sheikh (4V 7503) flight was grounded until the danger was lifted.

Air traffic was partially restored after 23:32, and the airspace was fully reopened once the drones exited the national territory, with temporary restrictions maintained in the northern zone. So far, authorities have not identified any debris or objects that could pose a danger to the public.

Following the incident, security structures — the Border Police, National Police, Ministry of Defense, and other responsible institutions — activated response and coordination mechanisms, intensifying the monitoring of the state border, airspace surveillance, and on-ground operational checks. Cooperation with external partners continued throughout the intervention.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs describes the drone overflight as 'an illegal and dangerous action that endangered civil flight safety and human lives,' emphasizing that such incidents are part of the regional risk landscape generated by Russian Federation aggression.

Authorities urge the public to remain calm, follow official instructions, and avoid areas where monitoring operations are underway. Any observations regarding unidentified flying objects should be reported immediately to responsible structures.

The Republic of Moldova remains on high alert, continuing permanent airspace monitoring to protect citizens and national security.

Since 2022, there have been 44 recorded cases of unauthorized overflights in Moldova's airspace.