Lyce · Hybrid Watch
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Jet-powered drone explodes near Colonița outside Chișinău.
On the night of 17–18 September 2026, residents near Colonița on the outskirts of Chișinău reported a powerful explosion at approximately 04:20. Moldovan police later located fragments of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the area. Explosives specialists secured the site and began examining the wreckage. Moldova’s police chief subsequently confirmed that the object was a drone rather than a missile. Preliminary examination found a jet-propulsion engine among the recovered components. The exact model and manufacturer had not yet been formally established when the initial findings were announced. Moldova’s Ministry of Defence said its monitoring systems had not registered an airspace violation during the night, meaning the drone’s route remained unresolved. The event occurred only one day after another unauthorised UAV had crossed Moldova during Russian attacks on the Odesa region. Russian strike systems had repeatedly penetrated or crossed Moldova during the same month, including several technically identified Geran/Gerbera systems..
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On the night of 17–18 September 2026, residents near Colonița on the outskirts of Chișinău reported a powerful explosion at approximately 04:20. Moldovan police later located fragments of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the area. Explosives specialists secured the site and began examining the wreckage. Moldova’s police chief subsequently confirmed that the object was a drone rather than a missile. Preliminary examination found a jet-propulsion engine among the recovered components. The exact model and manufacturer had not yet been formally established when the initial findings were announced. Moldova’s Ministry of Defence said its monitoring systems had not registered an airspace violation during the night, meaning the drone’s route remained unresolved. The event occurred only one day after another unauthorised UAV had crossed Moldova during Russian attacks on the Odesa region. Russian strike systems had repeatedly penetrated or crossed Moldova during the same month, including several technically identified Geran/Gerbera systems..