Ukraine: drone raids; Moldova summons the Russian ambassador
Lithuania: ‘Drone in airspace’. The alert was subsequently lifted
Moldova has summoned the Russian ambassador following the latest missile and drone incursions into its airspace. This is the second time in a few days that Chisinau has summoned the Russian representative. According to the authorities, the latest incursion saw five drones and missiles cross into Moldovan territory and explode near several built-up areas, causing material damage but no casualties. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian ambassador was urged to prevent such incidents, according to an official statement.
The PresidentMaia Sandu wrote on X that these incidents demonstrate how the Russian war in Ukraine is “spilling over into Moldova”. “Moscow is putting lives at risk across Europe and must be stopped,” he said. According to reports from the Moldovan government, there have been dozens of incursions this year by Russian- and Iranian-made missiles and drones. The authorities have been forced to close the airspace on several occasions and have warned that such incidents jeopardise air traffic safety.
Moscow, for its part, has issued a new warning to diplomats and foreign nationals in Kyiv, inviting them to “leave the city”. This is stated in a declaration by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, a drone has violated Lithuanian airspace. This was announced by the Vilnius government’s Crisis Management Service, which has urged the population of eastern Lithuania to locate the nearest air-raid shelters and seek refuge there if necessary. “The Lithuanian Armed Forces report: possible air raid alert. Seek shelter. If you spot a suspicious object, keep your distance and call 112. ‘Wait for the all-clear,’ the authorities stated in an emergency message also published on the website of LRT, the Lithuanian public radio and television service.
A few hours later, the alert was lifted: ‘All clear. You may leave safe places or shelters,’ read an emergency message published on the website of Lithuania’s national broadcaster, LRT. “It has been confirmed that there was no aerial threat, as the object posed no danger. At the moment, I cannot say whether it was simply birds in flight or some other object,” explained Vilmantas Vitkauskas, director of the NKVC crisis unit, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, on the radio.
