Drone, likely Russian, crashes and explodes in Moldova

18 August 2026 — A drone, likely of Russian origin, crashed and exploded on farmland in southeastern Moldova after entering the country’s airspace, Moldovan police reported. The unmanned aircraft came down in the Stefan Voda area and caused a small fire; authorities said no one was injured.

Investigators and experts are working at the scene. Ukrainian media reported that a Russian drone of the so-called "Banderol" type veered off course while approaching the port of Odesa and crossed into Moldova.

Political response in Chisinau

President Maia Sandu told Radio Moldova that the presence of drones in Moldovan airspace poses a danger to people and placed responsibility for the risk on Russia, saying it "started this war against Ukraine."

She added that "The most important thing we can do to stop these drones, both in the Republic of Moldova and in Ukraine, is to help Ukraine succeed in this war so that Russia can no longer continue to wage war."

The incident came one day after a drone was shot down over Romania by a Spanish fighter jet operating as part of NATO’s air policing mission. Romania’s Ministry of Defence said on the platform X that the drone had been detected over Romania after coming from Moldovan airspace and was then destroyed; debris likely fell on an uninhabited area in Galați county. The ministry did not specify the drone’s origin.

Similar cases — including a July incident in which a drone fell in Moldova — have raised concerns in the region about spillover from the war in Ukraine and the safety of neighbouring airspace.

Photo: press material from the event