Russian Drone Crashes in Romanian Village Amid Widespread Airspace Violations in Romania and Moldova

Drone Incident in Puiesti, Romania

On the morning of November 25, 2025, a Russian drone crashed in the village of Puiesti, Vaslui County, Romania, approximately 50 kilometers from the Romanian-Moldovan border. Fragments of the lightweight, gasoline-powered drone fell onto a household, leading to immediate fear and panic among local residents. Authorities swiftly cordoned off the area, deploying police, gendarmes, and representatives from the Ministry of National Defense to secure the site.

Romanian Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu confirmed the incident, noting that the drone was initially assessed to be without an explosive payload. He stated that Romanian and German fighter jets, including Eurofighter Typhoons and F-16s, had been scrambled to intercept drones that violated Romanian airspace. Despite having authorization to engage, pilots opted not to shoot down the drone due to concerns over potential collateral damage. The drone is believed to have crashed either due to loss of control or fuel depletion.

Widespread Airspace Violations

The incident in Puiesti was part of a larger pattern of Russian drone incursions into the airspace of both Romania and Moldova on November 25, 2025. This occurred during a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack targeting Ukraine.

• Romania: The crash in Puiesti marked the 13th breach of Romanian airspace by Russian drones since February 2022 and was described as the deepest incursion to date. RO-ALERT messages were issued across several counties, including Tulcea, Galati, Vrancea, and Vaslui, warning residents of potential airspace drops.
• Moldova: On the same day, Moldova reported that six Russian drones had entered its airspace without authorization. One of these drones crashed onto the roof of a farm building in the village of Cuhurestii de Jos, Florești district, about 15 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Moldovan police evacuated residents and secured the crash site.

International and National Response

In response to the repeated violations, Moldova's Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov to issue a formal protest. Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned Russia's actions, emphasizing the threat posed to aviation and civilian lives. On November 29, 2025, Moldovan airspace was temporarily closed for over an hour following the detection of two more Russian drones, marking the third such incident in nine days.

Russian Ambassador Ozerov, however, suggested that the incidents might be 'false flag operations' designed to strain relations. Meanwhile, Romania's Ministry of National Defense announced plans to acquire new air-defense capabilities to better address future incursions, as the proximity to the conflict zone continues to present new challenges for both authorities and citizens.