An unidentified drone has attacked a military base in the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, the local authorities have said, adding that the incident took place not far from the Ukrainian border.
Transnistria broke away from Moldova in the early 1990s in the waning days of the Soviet Union. The enclave maintains warm relations with Moscow and hosts a Russian peacekeeping force, with the regional security situation affected by the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In a statement on Friday, Transnistria’s Ministry of State Security claimed that “a kamikaze drone attacked a military installation” in the northern part of the enclave. Officials did not blame any particular actor for the incident, but said it occurred 6km from the Ukrainian border.
The strike targeted a radar station, which suffered minor damage, but there were no casualties, the ministry said, adding that an investigation into the attack was underway.
Footage shared by Sputnik Moldova shows a small aircraft buzzing a rural landscape at low altitude which crashes into the ground with a loud bang. A photo shared by the outlet shows a hole in the ground, apparently made by the drone.
Moldova’s Bureau of Reintegration Policy reacted to the attack by noting that there are a number of “challenges in the region, aimed at causing panic and tension.” It added that a proper investigation can only be carried out by “competent legal bodies,” which it said have no access to the affected area.
Kiev has denied any involvement in the incident. A spokesman for Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR), Andrey Yusov, suggested that his country “would not waste valuable drones on such petty provocations,” adding that “there are forces interested in destabilizing the situation in the region.”
On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed the drone attack as another “provocative act” aimed at further destabilizing the already-tense security situation in the region. She called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Last month, another military base in Transnistria was also targeted by a drone strike, which caused no casualties but destroyed a helicopter stationed at an airfield in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway republic. Transnistria’s Foreign Ministry denounced the strike as a “terrorist act,” while slamming Moldova for an “inadequate” reaction to the incident, which it said only encourages further escalation.