- Russia’s newly appointed ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Ozerov, spoke to reporters after leaving the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he had been summoned following the discovery of a drone near the village of Copanca.
- Questions About the Crash Site
- “Residents Did Not Hear It”
- Investigation Continues
Russia’s newly appointed ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Ozerov, spoke to reporters after leaving the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he had been summoned following the discovery of a drone near the village of Copanca.
The Moldovan Foreign Ministry handed Ozerov a diplomatic note of protest, stating that the incident represented “another violation of Moldova’s airspace by a Russian drone.” Moldovan authorities have not publicly presented evidence identifying the drone’s origin.
Speaking to journalists outside the ministry, Ozerov said that before any conclusions could be reached, investigators needed to establish who had launched the drone. He added that the Russian Embassy had formally requested additional information from the Moldovan authorities.
“We have requested additional information. This is a new case and requires a proper investigation.
It is necessary to determine the flight path, where the drone came from, the trajectory it followed, photographic evidence, and the other standard data that we routinely request in such situations,” Ozerov said.
According to the ambassador, such information should be available if Moldova’s air surveillance systems recorded the drone’s flight.
Questions About the Crash Site
Ozerov also pointed to what he described as inconsistencies surrounding the alleged crash site.
He noted that photographs released publicly did not appear to show an impact crater, despite reports that the drone carried explosives. He also questioned why the explosives had reportedly failed to detonate upon impact, suggesting that only fuel from the drone had caught fire.
“For example, if a drone crashes, you would normally expect to see a crater. In this case, there is no crater. The drone is there, but there is no crater.
Secondly, if there were explosives on board, why didn’t they detonate when the drone hit the ground? They should have exploded upon impact. There are many questions. I am not making any conclusions. I am simply saying that there are questions regarding this drone,” he stated.
“Residents Did Not Hear It”
The Russian diplomat also questioned reports about the drone’s arrival, arguing that the type of engine visible in photographs should have produced significant noise.
According to Ozerov, the drone appeared to use a piston engine similar to those found on motorcycles, making it much louder than electric unmanned aircraft.
“Based on the photographs I have seen, this drone appears to have a conventional engine—a motorcycle-type engine with a propeller. It is a very loud drone.
According to the information we have, residents of the nearby village of Copanca did not hear it arrive. Again, we are not making any claims either way. We simply have the same questions that you do,” Ozerov said.
Investigation Continues
The ambassador emphasized that Russia was not drawing conclusions about the drone’s origin and was instead requesting additional technical information from the Moldovan authorities before commenting further.
The incident occurred as discussions continued among members of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” which Ozerov claimed was considering the possible deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine.
