On the evening of February 26, the Russian military launched a Shahed-131/136 loitering munition, which flew into Moldova through the Odesa region.

The Operational Command South reported on this on February 27.

According to them, the Shahed drone flew several kilometers and re-entered Ukrainian airspace, where it was subsequently shot down by air defense.

“The route of one of the drones was provocatively directed by the enemy along a trajectory crossing the Ukrainian-Moldovan section of the state border in the Odesa region,” the military reported.

Natalia Humeniuk, Head of the Press Center of the Southern Defense Forces, noted on the United News telethon that the route of Shahed drones was originally designed to carry out a provocation.

She also added that despite the fact that Moldova has not previously recognized the presence of Shahed drones in its airspace, the Ukrainian Defense Forces will continue to cooperate with international partners on this issue.

Previously, the Ministry of Defense of Republic of Moldova denied that one of the Russian drones launched by Russia over Ukraine had entered the country’s airspace.

“Regarding the possible risk of a drone entering the space of the Republic of Moldova, we would like to inform you that no drone launched by the Russian Federation over Ukraine this evening flew over the airspace of the Republic of Moldova,” the statement outlined.

Ukraine confirmed to Moldova that Ukraine’s air defense neutralized all the drones launched on the Odesa region.

In February, the Moldovan Border Police located another wreckage of the Russian Shahed (Geran) kamikaze drone in the country’s border region.

The wreckage of the Russian Shahed (Geran) kamikaze drone. Photo credits: Moldovan Border Police.The wreckage of the Russian drone was discovered near the village of Etulia Nouă, which is less than two kilometers from the border with the Odesa region.

This is not the first time that Russian munitions have fallen in Moldova. In October 2022, a Russian cruise missile fell in the area of the Moldovan settlement of Naslavcea, near the border with Ukraine. Due to the fall of the missile, private houses were damaged.