Problems at two border points in the Republic of Moldova after a strategic bridge in Ukraine was attacked with drones
The Palanca–Maiaki–Udobnoe and Tudora–Starokazacie border crossing points are partially functioning. The measure was taken after the bridge on the Odesa-Reni route, located near the border of the Republic of Moldova, which ensures the crossing over the Dniester river, was attacked with drones.
The strategic bridge was attacked on December 18 with drones. PHOTO: Instagram screenshot
According to the officials of the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova, at 12:13 p.m., activity was partially resumed on the Maiaki-Udobnoe bridge, which was, on Thursday, December 18, the target of a drone attack. Crossing is allowed for all types of transport, except trucks.
Shortly after, precisely at 12:30, at the Palanca-Maiaki-Udobnoe and Tudora-Starokazacie border crossing points, the movement of people and means of transport began only in the direction of entry into the Republic of Moldova.
“Exit from the Republic of Moldova is authorized only for citizens traveling to Belgorod-Dnestrovsk (Ukraine). In order to ensure the security of citizens, the border authorities recommend avoiding travel in this direction”, the Moldovan officials mentioned.
In the afternoon of Thursday, the bridge on the Odesa-Reni route, located near the border of the Republic of Moldova and which ensures the crossing over the Dniester river, was attacked with drones, the Chisinau Border Police announced. As a result, the activity of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border crossing points was stopped.
The incident took place at around 16:00, during an air strike launched on the territory of Ukraine, when drones carrying an explosive charge hit the bridge located near the town of Maiaki-Udobnoe.
As a result, the bridge was badly damaged, a woman died on the way to the hospital, and three children who were in a car on the bridge suffered injuries and were hospitalized.
At the end of November, two drones illegally flew over the north of the Republic of Moldova, which led the authorities to temporarily close the airspace. It was later reopened, except for the northern region.
The two devices entered the Moldovan airspace in the direction of Stanislavka, Odesa – Vărăncău region, in the area to the left of the Dniester, without being detected by radar. Later, the Ukrainian border authorities informed the Border Police of the Republic of Moldova that the drones were observed in Velikaia Kosnița (Ukraine) – Ruslanovca, Soroca district, crossing the state border repeatedly, from one side to the other.
On November 25, during a massive Russian attack on Ukraine, six drones illegally entered the airspace of the Republic of Moldova. One of them, Russian-made and inscribed with the “Z” symbol – used by the Russian army in the war in Ukraine and banned in Moldova -, crashed in the north of the country, on the roof of a house in Cuhurestii de Jos, Florești district.
