Chișinău rejects Moscow's lies justifying deadly border checkpoint strike

Chișinău stated that Russia deliberately targeted the Tudora–Starokozache border crossing on the Ukrainian-Moldovan frontier and is attempting to legitimize the strike with fabricated allegations concerning arms transfers through Moldovan territory into Ukraine.

Moldovan Foreign Ministry dismissed Moscow's narrative regarding "military cargo transportation," stressing that weapons are not moved across its borders into Ukraine.

"This is a false and completely unsubstantiated claim. Weapons are not transported into Ukraine through the territory of the Republic of Moldova — neither through the Tudora–Starokozache crossing point nor through any other. These crossings are used by ordinary people—families, mothers with children, and the elderly traveling between nations," the ministry emphasized.

The agency added that "attempting to justify the killing of civilians with claims of 'weapons transportation' is cynical and unacceptable."

Moldovan Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the strike and rejected any attempts to rationalize it through falsehoods and disinformation.

Overnight into Sept. 9, Russian forces attacked the Starokozache checkpoint, igniting a major fire. Odesa governor Oleh Kiper confirmed that two people near the checkpoint were killed. Several individuals sustained injuries, including a citizen of Moldova.

State Customs Service of Ukraine reported that border clearance and customs processing for individuals and vehicles along this corridor have been temporarily suspended.