Key facts
- Moldova will build protective shelters at border crossings with Ukraine.
- The shelters are intended to protect people during drone incursions.
- The announcement follows an increase in drone violations of Moldovan airspace.
- Some Moldovan border guards will be relocated to the Moldovan side of the border.
- A projectile from a Russian attack on Oct. 5 injured a border guard at the Palanca-Maiaky-Udobne crossing.
- Russian drones and missiles pose a risk to Moldova's population and infrastructure.
Moldova plans to construct protective shelters at its border crossings with Ukraine to provide refuge for border guards and nearby residents during drone attacks, Interior Minister Daniella Misail-Nichitin announced on October 7. This initiative comes in response to a recent escalation in drone incursions into Moldovan airspace amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
The proposed structures will be situated at checkpoints along the border, offering a safe haven from potential drone strikes. In addition to these physical protections, some Moldovan border guards stationed at the "Kryva" and "Palanka" stations, currently on the Ukrainian side, will be relocated to Moldovan territory for enhanced security.
Ukrainian officials are also engaged in discussions with neighboring countries to reconfigure border operations, aiming to bolster security and streamline cross-border activities in light of increased drone activity. This comes as multiple drone incidents have occurred on Moldovan territory throughout Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On October 5, a projectile fired during a Russian attack on Ukraine ricocheted and hit a passenger bus and a border control booth at the Palanca-Maiaky-Udobne crossing, resulting in a minor injury to a border guard, according to Moldova's Border Police. Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan described the security environment as increasingly challenging, highlighting the risk posed by Russian drones and missiles to the population and infrastructure.
Earlier, on October 3, five Russian air attack weapons, including missiles and drones, violated Moldova's airspace during an overnight attack on Ukraine and detonated within the country. President Maia Sandu condemned these actions, stating that Russia's war was "dangerously reaching Moldova" and putting lives at risk across Europe.