Russian turbojet drone detonates in north Moldova
Debris from an unmanned aerial vehicle marked "Geran-4" was recovered in northern Moldova near the Ukrainian border following an aerial detonation, national police reported on Thursday.
Turbojet engine recovered
Police bomb disposal technicians concluded on-site investigations in an agricultural area outside Cotiujeni village, Briceni district, where an explosion occurred late Wednesday. Specialists secured wing assemblies, fiberglass fuselage fragments, electronic control units, wiring harnesses, and battery power modules.
Investigators also retrieved the aircraft's propulsion unit, identifying it as a partially damaged turbojet engine. Preliminary findings indicate the drone exploded roughly 10 metres above ground level after colliding with a tree line, generating a blast radius that damaged vegetation across 25 metres. No other explosive substances or secondary hazards were detected at the site.
Cross-border security perimeter
A border patrol unit originally discovered the wreckage on Thursday afternoon approximately 1.7 kilometres from the state border. All recovered parts have been sent for specialized forensic and technical analysis.
The discovery follows a wider aerial breach earlier that morning, when four unauthorized drones crossed into Moldovan airspace amid Russian strikes against Ukraine. Two of those devices exploded: one in an open agricultural field near Cernița in Florești district, and another in the Camenca district on the left bank of the Dniester.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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