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Slingshots v drones: Moscow puts the frighteners on Moldova

A Shahed suicide drone crashed last week northwest of Palanca, southeast Moldova, after dozens of Russian missiles and drones violated its airspace since the invasion four years ago.
Moldova's outdated radars and political divisions hinder response, with just 0.6 percent of GDP spent on defence, pro‑EU President Maia Sandu said last week.
Ukrainian officials reported a mother was killed and her three children wounded by a Russian drone at the river Dniester border bridge, while Palanca residents say the attacks have terrified them and disrupted daily life.
Moldova has started receiving Western radar support, acquiring a Thales radar from France in 2023 and expecting another this year from a 20-million-euro EU package, while pro‑EU President Maia Sandu urged defence investments and summoned Moscow's envoy after a drone crash.
Analysts call the incursions a psychological war, with Artur Lescu warning `There is still little understanding within society that investment in defence is... not money thrown away`, while pro-Russian narratives complicate efforts.

Insights by Ground AI