Key facts
- A drone crashed and exploded in Moldova on September 30, 2026, during a Russian attack on Ukraine.
- The drone entered Moldovan airspace around 5:43 a.m. local time.
- No injuries were reported from the incident.
- Moldovan authorities are investigating the crash site.
- Russia launched 188 drones and various missiles at Ukraine overnight.
- Ukraine's air force claimed to have intercepted 5 missiles and 155 drones.
A drone entered Moldovan airspace and crashed near the village of Hirbovat in the central Anenii Noi district early on September 30, 2026, exploding shortly after. The incident occurred amid a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine.
According to Moldova's Defense Ministry, the drone entered the country's airspace around 5:43 a.m. local time. Preliminary information indicated no injuries resulted from the explosion. Moldovan police and army teams were dispatched to the site for inspection.
Overnight, Russia launched a significant assault on Ukraine, deploying 188 drones, 86 of which were jet-powered, along with Zircon, Onyx, and Iskander missiles, according to Ukraine's air force. The Ukrainian air force stated it successfully shot down or suppressed 5 missiles and 155 drones.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred. On September 24, 2026, suspected Russian drones reportedly crashed in Romania and Moldova during a sustained attack on Ukraine. Moldovan police also posted on Facebook about finding drone parts in the Floresti district that had "specific elements of the 'Gerbera' type used by the Russian Federation."
Previously, on August 16, 2026, NATO fighter jets intercepted and shot down a suspected Russian drone that had violated Romanian airspace near the Moldovan border, as confirmed by Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta. The following day, August 17, 2026, a Russian S8000 Banderol cruise missile entered Moldovan airspace during an attack on Odesa before crashing in a cornfield near the village of Talmaz.