Russian drone crosses from Ukraine into Moldova and Romania; Poland issues repeated alerts during massive attack on September 8
On September 8, a massive Russian aerial attack on Ukraine triggered responses in three neighboring countries. A Shahed-type drone crossed from Ukraine into Moldovan airspace, then into Romania, prompting airspace closures, the scramble of Spanish F-18 jets, and the temporary suspension of flights at Iași International Airport. Earlier the same day, Poland issued repeated alerts to residents in the Lublin and Podkarpackie regions and scrambled aircraft during a massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine.
Key points
- A Shahed-type drone entered Moldovan airspace from Ukraine at approximately 16:20 local time on September 8, tracked through the Transnistrian sector toward Chișinău and then Ungheni.
- At 16:37 the drone crossed into Romania near Iași County; Romania's radar detected the target at 16:47, 18 km north of the city of Roman.
- Two Spanish Air Force F-18 jets on duty at the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base took off at 16:39 to monitor the situation; radar contact was lost at 17:02 on the Iași–Botoșani county border and the target later reappeared on radar in Moldovan airspace.
- Moldova temporarily closed its central airspace from about 16:30; several civilian flights circled while waiting to land at Chișinău airport before it reopened.
- Iași International Airport suspended all departures and landings pending clarification; director Romeo Vatra said no flights were cancelled.
- Romania issued RO-Alert notifications to residents of Iași, Vaslui, Neamț, Botoșani, and Suceava counties urging them to shelter.
- During the night of September 8, Poland scrambled combat aircraft, suspended operations at Lublin airport, and sent four SMS alerts to residents of the Lublin and Podkarpackie regions, the first at about 04:30.
Why it matters
Russia's aerial campaign against Ukraine is no longer confined to Ukrainian airspace. On a single day, drones and possible missile trajectories forced NATO member Poland to scramble aircraft, suspend a civilian airport, and bombard citizens with alerts, while partner states Moldova and Romania closed sections of airspace, scrambled Spanish F-18 jets operating under NATO's enhanced air policing mission, and ordered residents to shelter. Each incident raises the risk of miscalculation and direct confrontation between Russia and countries that are politically and militarily supporting Ukraine.
What happened
During the night of September 8, Poland scrambled combat aircraft and suspended operations at Lublin airport in response to a massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine. Residents of the Lublin and Podkarpackie regions received four SMS alerts, the first at around 04:30, warning of the attack and urging vigilance. Polish Ministry spokesperson Karolina Galecka explained that repeated alerts were sent because it is difficult to determine the direction of drones or missiles during a massive attack on Ukraine, and it is better to exaggerate than to miss important information.
Later the same day, a drone preliminarily identified as a Russian Shahed-type drone crossed from Ukraine into Moldovan airspace at approximately 16:20 local time, near Slovyanoserbsk. Moldovan air defense tracked the drone as it moved through the Transnistrian sector toward Bender and Chișinău, then toward the Ungheni area. Moldova temporarily closed its central airspace from about 16:30; several civilian flights circled while waiting to land at Chișinău airport. At 16:37 the drone left Moldovan airspace and crossed into Romania near the village of Zagarancea in the Ungheni area, heading toward Iași County.
Romania's Ministry of National Defense radar detected the target at 16:47, 18 km north of the city of Roman. Two Spanish Air Force F-18 fighters on NATO enhanced air policing duty at the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base took off at 16:39 to monitor the situation. Iași International Airport suspended all departures and landings pending clarification; director Romeo Vatra said no flights were cancelled. Romania issued RO-Alert notifications in Iași, Vaslui, Neamț, Botoșani, and Suceava counties, with the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) recommending shelter in basements or civil defense shelters. Iași County prefect Costel Dolachi said the drone was moving from Moldova toward southern Iași County or northern Vaslui County and described the situation as under control. Radar contact was lost at 17:02 on the Iași–Botoșani county border, and the target was subsequently re-identified on radar in Moldovan airspace. Search operations for the drone or its debris were ongoing at the time of reporting.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage treats the spillover into neighboring countries as the main story, framing Poland's repeated alerts and the Moldova–Romania airspace violations as direct consequences of Russia's attacks on Ukraine. The Polish alert story is told primarily from the perspective of Polish citizens receiving the warnings, while the Moldova–Romania story emphasizes state-level diplomatic and military responses, including the scramble of NATO aircraft and the temporary closure of civilian airspace.
Background
Poland has been sending repeated alerts to residents of its border regions during major Russian attacks on Ukraine, a precaution justified by Polish authorities as preferable to missing critical information. Romanian President Nicușor Dan has previously stated that debris from drones that entered Romanian territory on July 24, 25, and 26 belonged to Shahed-type drones used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.