Police clarified that officers received initial reports at approximately 5:40 a.m. regarding a low-flying drone spotted in the vicinity of Bender. Shortly after, the UAV crashed in an open field outside the village of Hîrbovăț in the Anenii Noi District and exploded upon impact.
No casualties or residential structural damage were reported. Specialized police tactical units cordoned off the perimeter to allow explosives technicians and forensic investigators to conduct an on-site examination of the crater and fragment trajectory.
Law enforcement agencies urged local residents to stay clear of the impact zone, refrain from touching any metal wreckage or suspicious debris, and circumvent the perimeter until official security verifications are finalized.
Prior drone incidents in Moldova
Sept. 24 Briceni crash: On the evening of Sept. 24, Moldovan authorities discovered the scattered wreckage of a Russian Geran-4 strike drone near the Ukrainian border in the Briceni District.
Mid-air tree collision: Forensic examinations determined that the Geran-4 drone detonated in mid-air following a high-speed collision with tree crowns, damaging vegetation within a 25-meter radius. Investigators recovered fuselage sections, avionics, wing assemblies, and an intact turbojet propulsion engine for state forensic analysis.