Moldovan president condemns Russia over killer drone crash

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has blamed Russia’s war in Ukraine for a recent drone crash in the southeast of her country. A drone crashed and exploded in the village of Crocmaz on Sunday, causing a fire that damaged several properties but caused no casualties. After conducting preliminary analysis on the fragments, local police said it could be a “missile-like drone.” “I strongly condemn the latest violation of our airspace,” Sandu wrote on X, adding: “This is a direct consequence of Russia’s war, and it endangers us all.” Sandu said that the “risk to human life in our region is real and growing. It must stop.” The affected village is close to southwestern Ukraine, particularly the Odesa region, which came under a heavy missile and drone attack by Russia on the same day. Moldovan police said that to date, no other aircraft of this type have been found on Moldovan territory and research is continuing to establish “the exact type and origin of the aircraft as well as the circumstances of the incident.” Last week, local police discovered wreckage from a Russian Geran-2-type drone near the village of Văleni in southern Moldova. After the incidents, Moldova’s foreign ministry recalled its ambassador from Russia for consultations.