The Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) announces that it has opened a criminal case on the fact of overflying the airspace of the Republic of Moldova by missiles on October 10, 2022, and following the detonation of an explosive device near the locality of Naslavcea, Ocnița, on October 31.

The criminal case was opened following the investigation of the facts under investigation in a criminal trial initiated last week and following the submission to PCCOCS prosecutors of relevant materials, prosecutor’s office representatives said.

“The case is being investigated in the light of two crimes. Thus, the situation regarding the overflight of the airspace by missiles on October 10 is being investigated in the light of the criminal offence under the Criminal Code on violation of flight rules, which refers to the entry, air transit of the territory of the Republic of Moldova without the established authorization, or other violation of the rules on the execution of flights in the airspace of the Republic of Moldova. With regard to the detonation of an explosive material/device on 31 October this year in the vicinity of the village of Naslavcea, the act is being investigated under the article of the Criminal Code which provides for the delivery, placement, setting into operation or detonation of an explosive device or other device with lethal effect.

The case is to be investigated multilaterally, and additional information has been and will be requested from national institutions and from jurisdictions whose airspace was overflown by the missiles in question,” PCCOCS representatives said.

On 10 October, the Moldovan Ministry of Defence announced that between 8:33 and 9:02 a.m., the specialised structures of the defence institution had identified three air targets that had flown over Moldovan airspace.

According to the institution, these targets flew in the following directions:

1. The localities of Ciornaya – Moghilev Podolsk (Ukraine) – Râbnița – Soroca – Moghilev Podolsk.
2. Ciornaya – Voronovka (Ukraine) – Râbnița – Rudi (Soroca)
3. Ciornaya (Ukraine) – Popencu village (Republic of Moldova) – Kinescauti (Floresti) – towards Ukraine.

Shortly afterwards, the head of Moldovan diplomacy, Nicu Popescu, ordered the urgent summoning of the Russian Ambassador to Chisinau, Oleg Vasnețov, to ask the Russian side to explain the case.

On 31 October, a missile shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft system landed in the northern end of the Moldovan town of Naslavcea, on the border with Ukraine.