CHISINAU (Reuters) -Moldova summoned Russia’s ambassador on Wednesday to complain about the latest intrusion of drones into its airspace and urged Moscow to take measures to prevent further instances.
Russia’s ambassador expressed doubt that one of the drones was linked to a genuine intrusion and suggested the incident was aimed at spoiling Moscow’s already poor relations with Chisinau.
Moldova’s pro-European government denounces the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine and accuses Moscow of attempting to destabilise the ex-Soviet state lying between Ukraine and European Union member Romania.
Moldova noted incursions by six Russian drones on Tuesday, including one that landed on a roof outside Floresti, near the Ukrainian border, and a second that passed through Moldovan airspace before heading off toward Romania.
Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the incident was “absolutely unacceptable” and a “serious violation of Moldova’s sovereignty and a direct threat to national and regional sovereignty”.
Placed outside the ministry building as ambassador Oleg Ozerov entered was the 18-kg (39-pound) drone that authorities said had landed on a roof in a village.
“Do you believe this? A drone runs out of fuel and lands on a roof without causing damage?” Ozerov told reporters.
“There are many false flag operations. Many attempts to spoil our relations with Moldova, which are already at their lowest point in history,” Ozerov said.
Romanian and German NATO fighter jets were scrambled on Tuesday near Romania’s border with Ukraine to respond to a drone incursion that penetrated deeper than ever into Romanian airspace.
Moldova had issued its previous complaint to Ozerov about a drone intrusion only last week. Russia says Moldova is whipping up Russophobia. Each country has expelled diplomats from the other, with the last such instance dating from April.
Ozerov has yet to be invited to present his credentials formally to President Maia Sandu despite being in Moldova for more than a year.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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