Moldova says drone that exploded in country over weekend is first of its kind

Moldovan police have said the device that exploded on the country's territory on 9 August is the first of its kind; they describe it as a "drone-missile".

As reported by Newsmaker, Moldovan police reported on 10 August that the drone that exploded near the village of Crocmaz in Ștefan Vodă district on 9 August is the first device of this type to have fallen on the country's territory.

The investigation said it struck a tree at a height of 2.5 metres in a forest strip outside the village and exploded, causing a fire. The wreckage scattered over a wide area, damaging houses.

Police reported the pieces found resemble the characteristics of a guided missile's components and that the device resembles a "drone-missile".

"No device of this type has previously been identified on the territory of Moldova," police said.

Ukraine's Air Force warned about aerial threats over this past weekend, including on 9 August, when Russia carried out a large-scale attack on Odesa Oblast, including using Banderol munitions, described as a hybrid of a drone and a missile.

Before that, Russian Shahed-type drones had repeatedly crashed on Moldovan territory. In one case, after the Russian ambassador was summoned over the incident, one of the drones was placed outside the entrance to Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of the most recent Shahed-type drones fell on Moldovan territory on 13 July.