Moldova Moves to Legalize Shooting Down Drones

Moldova intends to amend its legislation to allow the military and other agencies to shoot down unidentified drones.

NewsMaker reported on this.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova has drafted a new national airspace security bill.

The document has already been published on the government’s website and is scheduled for review at a meeting on July 2.

The draft law outlines key threats to Moldova’s airspace, including unauthorized flights of civilian aircraft and drones, violations of airspace usage rules, and aerial aggression.

Currently, Moldova’s airspace control is governed by an outdated 2012 law, which, among other issues, lacks clear procedures for intercepting aircraft and drones, complicating effective responses to such threats.

The explanatory note states that Moldova today faces numerous challenges in managing and ensuring the security of its airspace. Therefore, the new law establishes a list of agencies responsible for its protection.

The bill provides that in the event of unauthorized entry into Moldova’s airspace, aircraft, drones, and other flying objects may be destroyed using air defense systems, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis.

A separate procedure is outlined in the draft law specifically for drones. Depending on the level of threat and the type of UAV, various measures may be applied—from interception to complete destruction.

Not only the military but also border guards will have the authority to shoot down drones that illegally cross the border.

Russian strike drones and cruise missiles have repeatedly used Moldovan airspace during attacks on Ukrainian territory. Therefore, countering these threats is a very urgent issue for the country.

Earlier, the European Union announced it would provide Moldova with equipment to intercept drones in 2025, although the exact nature of the equipment was not specified.