Drone attack destroyed Russian helicopter in Moldova’s Transnistria (photos, video)

Mar 17, 2024 - 19:52

Moldova’s Russian-run Transnistria has reported a drone attack on one of its military units located in the regional capital city of Tiraspol. According to initial reports, the attack resulted in a fire breaking out within the military facility, causing significant damage to a Russian-made Mi-8 military helicopter, while photos show it completely destroyed.

The regions of Gagauzia and Transnistria in Moldova are often seen as potential Russian “Trojan horses” due to their pro-Russian sentiments and Moscow’s influence. Gagauzia is an autonomous republic, while Transnistria is an unrecognized self-proclaimed state with Russian troops deployed on its territory. Moldova has repeatedly requested the withdrawal of these troops, most recently in 2021. As of 2006, up to 1,500 Russian troops were stationed in Transnistria, including peacekeeping and security battalions, a helicopter detachment, and administrative units.

The incident was first reported by the Transnistrian “state-run” TV channel “Pervy Pridnestrovsky,” which disseminated photographs from the scene:

“It is preliminarily determined that the explosion was the result of a kamikaze drone attack, which was recorded flying from the Clover Bridge. There were no casualties. Law enforcement agencies are working. A criminal case has been opened,” the TV channel wrote on its Telegram channel.

Russia’s media outlet RIA Novosti, citing the so-called Ministry of State Security of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (PMR), reported the same as the Pervyi Pridnestrovsky – that a military unit in Transnistria was attacked by a kamikaze drone, there was an explosion and fire, with no casualties.

Later a CCTV video emerged on multiple Telegram channels, allegedly showing the attack: