Moldovan authorities evacuate village after armed drone crash
Moldovan police have confirmed that a drone discovered on the morning of January 22 in the village of Crocmaz, Ștefan Vodă district, is armed with a live explosive device. The General Inspectorate of Police has established a security perimeter and ordered the immediate evacuation of nearby residents as experts prepare for a controlled detonation.
The police’s Explosive-Technical Section is currently on-site to assess the risk level and neutralize the drone's warhead. Authorities have cordoned off the area to prevent any civilian casualties while specialists investigate the circumstances of the crash and the origin of the aircraft.
Local residents reported hearing the drone at approximately 02:00 AM before it struck power lines, causing immediate electricity outages in parts of the village.
Witness accounts from the crash site
Crocmaz Mayor Ion Veleșco confirmed that several citizens heard the aircraft flying over the locality in the middle of the night. Due to heavy fog, the flight path was not visible, but the wreckage was discovered in a residential garden at daybreak.
"The power went out, and later we found the drone," one resident stated. "It fell in the garden of an abandoned house. It is massive—the wing alone is as large as a man."
Regional security context
Residents in the area noted that explosions and flashes from across the Ukrainian border are frequently audible in Crocmaz. While this is the first time a drone has crashed directly into their village, the proximity to the conflict remains a constant concern.
Police urge all citizens to remain calm and follow the instructions of law enforcement officers until the intervention is successfully completed.
Drone found in the garden of a house in Crocmaz. Law enforcement officials announce on-site investigations.
Moldovan authorities discovered a 2.5-meter-long drone in a residential garden in the village of Crocmaz, Ștefan Vodă district, early Thursday morning. The General Police Inspectorate (IGP) confirmed that local residents spotted the aircraft around 9:30 AM near an uninhabited house and immediately alerted emergency services.
Specialized teams from the Police Explosive-Technical Section are currently on-site to conduct a detailed examination of the wreckage. Authorities have issued a high-priority warning to the public, urging citizens to maintain a safe distance and avoid touching, moving, or photographing any suspicious aerial objects.
Rising frequency of airspace incursions
This incident marks a growing trend, with nearly 20 Russian drones launched toward Ukraine having crashed on Moldovan soil recently. Notable past incidents include a drone hitting a house in Florești on November 25, 2025, and another discovered in Sângerei on December 3, 2025.
Technical experts previously identified most of these aircraft as "Gerbera" models. These are inert decoy units, lacking explosives, designed specifically to confuse and exhaust Ukrainian air defense systems before they can intercept strike-capable targets.
Diplomatic tensions and sovereignty concerns
The Chisinau government has denounced these recurring incidents as a grave violation of national sovereignty and a direct threat to civilian safety. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) condemned the actions as clear evidence of Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare against the Republic of Moldova.
In response to repeated summons, the Russian Ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Ozerov, has consistently demanded "evidence" that the recovered wreckage is of Russian origin, despite the technical findings of Moldovan forensic teams.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
