On Monday morning, a drone entered Moldova. Fragments showing traces of an explosion were discovered in a field near the eastern village of Lopatna, located not far from Ukraine's border, according to Moldovan authorities. Moldovan surveillance systems detected the drone crossing into the country at 12:20 a.m. local time on Monday (21:20 GMT on Sunday) from the direction of the Mihailovca-Lopatna locality, stated the Ministry of Defense.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a subsequent declaration that while the drone was Ukrainian, Russia bore responsibility for the incident. "Regardless of the drone's origin, Russia—which launched an illegal war in the neighboring country—bears responsibility for any unmanned aerial vehicle that enters Moldovan territory," the foreign ministry said, noting that Moldova continues to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

A spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Kyiv was in close contact with the Moldovan side regarding the details of the incident.

The Ministry of Defense reported that the drone fragments were found in an agricultural field near the Lopatna locality. Traces at the scene indicated "the previous occurrence of an explosion." The Ministry noted that there had been a Russian attack in neighboring Ukraine overnight. Moldova has dealt with numerous incidents involving Russian drones flying over its territory or debris landing in areas near the border.