Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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Jet-powered drone traverses Moldova from Lunga to northern Dondușeni District.

At 10:26 on 30 September 2026, Moldova’s integrated air-monitoring system detected a second UAV crossing national airspace near Lunga in Dubăsari District. Authorities immediately closed the northern and central sectors of Moldova’s airspace as a security precaution. The aircraft continued travelling northward across the country. Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi described it as a jet-powered drone travelling at approximately 400 km/h. The central airspace sector was subsequently reopened while the UAV continued north. At 11:07, Moldova’s monitoring systems lost the object near Arionești in Dondușeni District. The northern airspace sector was then reopened. This represented a substantial traversal of Moldovan territory rather than a brief border excursion. The Ministry of Defence explicitly said the day’s overflights occurred following massive Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Occurrence
2026-09-30
Publication
2026-09-30
First observed
2026-10-07T04:30:53.110Z
Review status
Not assessed
Countries
MD
Updated
2026-10-07T04:30:53.110Z

Attribution

Pattern-compatible

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    discovery_lead
    Date
    2026-09-30T15:40:48Z

    At 10:26 on 30 September 2026, Moldova’s integrated air-monitoring system detected a second UAV crossing national airspace near Lunga in Dubăsari District. Authorities immediately closed the northern and central sectors of Moldova’s airspace as a security precaution. The aircraft continued travelling northward across the country. Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi described it as a jet-powered drone travelling at approximately 400 km/h. The central airspace sector was subsequently reopened while the UAV continued north. At 11:07, Moldova’s monitoring systems lost the object near Arionești in Dondușeni District. The northern airspace sector was then reopened. This represented a substantial traversal of Moldovan territory rather than a brief border excursion. The Ministry of Defence explicitly said the day’s overflights occurred following massive Russian attacks on Ukraine.