A Russian military attack on Moldova is not considered imminent by authorities in Chisinau, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said. At the same time, he suggested that increasingly frequent drone incursions into Moldovan airspace could be a way for Russia to test the reaction of NATO countries.
“We don’t think such an attack is imminent. What I think Russia is doing is probing NATO countries,” Tofan said in an interview with CNN journalist Jim Sciutto on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The prime minister referred to drones entering Moldovan airspace, with some continuing toward Romania. He also noted similar incidents in Poland.
“Numerous drones cross Moldovan territory toward Romania. You are seeing similar attacks in Poland,” Vasile Tofan said.
Asked whether the incidents could indicate preparations for a military incursion, the prime minister reiterated that Chisinau does not currently consider such a threat imminent.
“At the same time, we do not believe there is currently an imminent threat to Moldova in terms of a potential incursion,” he said.
CNN’s Jim Sciutto also asked about the drone incident that occurred while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Moldova and whether Zelenskyy could have been a target.
Tofan said such incidents had become increasingly frequent. According to the prime minister, Moldova recorded more drone crossings in August than throughout the entire year of 2025.
“On the day when the president’s plane took off, indeed, a drone hit an object about 160 kilometers from the airport,” Tofan said. He did not say that Zelenskyy was the target, but warned that similar actions could continue.
“I think such intimidation will continue,” the prime minister said.
The latest incidents came on September 24, when four unmanned aerial vehicles were detected over Moldovan airspace amid a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine. The northern part of Moldova’s airspace was temporarily closed for security reasons and later reopened.
Since the beginning of 2026, Moldova has recorded 43 unauthorized drone overflights, according to figures cited by the authorities. The latest four incidents on September 24 brought the reported total to 43.