Moldova’s defence minister Anatolie Nosatîi identified three missiles and two drones in the incidents recorded on October 3, correcting initial descriptions of five drones. Authorities reported explosions near settlements and sent police and army teams to investigate. President Maia Sandu attributed the weapons to Russia, while officials warned residents to stay away from debris.
Moldovan Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi said the five aerial incidents recorded on October 3 involved three missiles and two drones. The announcement corrected initial statements from the army’s air operations service and foreign ministry describing five drones. The weapons crossed Moldova’s airspace during attacks on neighbouring Ukraine, according to the defence authorities.[1], [2]
The defence ministry reported monitored flights near Anenii Noi, Ștefan Vodă, Tudora and Căușeni in Moldova, along with explosions heard around several settlements. Police and army teams were sent to investigate the sites. The foreign ministry reported a vegetation fire and material damage near Crocmaz, a village in southeastern Moldova.[1]
Nosatîi asked residents to avoid fragments and inform the authorities. The ministry also told people not to touch or move unidentified objects and to call 112.[1]
President Maia Sandu accused Russia of sending the weapons across Moldovan airspace. That attribution remains the Moldovan authorities’ assessment. Nosatîi described the aircraft as fast and sophisticated and said interception capacity required new systems and resources. Training for soldiers and students now includes drone operation and protection courses, according to the minister.[1]
