During the new massive strike by the Russian Federation on Ukraine on December 25, 2024, it was recorded that one of the X-101 missiles traveled 140 kilometers through the airspace of Moldova and Romania, ultimately landing in one of the western regions of our country without causing any damage.
While the situation regarding Romania appears to be relatively clear, indicating that this country is not in a hurry to "escalate" considering the collective will of the Alliance, in the case of Moldova, it is essential to emphasize the fact that this country effectively lacks its own air defense system. Therefore, it has no means to intercept Russian cruise missiles and drones entering Moldovan airspace.
As we can understand, the absence of Moldova's own air defense serves as a factor for the Russian military when planning drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, as hostile means of attack can fly through the airspace of neighboring countries and "pop up" in the airspace of the western regions of our state.
When we mention the actual lack of air defense in Moldova, we base this on the following data. For instance, the Military Balance 2024 reference states that the armed forces of Moldova supposedly possess one anti-aircraft missile regiment, consisting of three launchers of the S-125 air defense system, which essentially forms the "core" of the ground component of this country's air defense.
However, the accuracy of this information can be questioned, as press reports indicate that all available S-125 systems were sold by Moldova through offshore structures back in the 2010s. Thus, it turns out that the Moldovan military currently lacks operational air defense systems, although at least until 2020, the Ministry of Defense of Moldova showcased transport-loading vehicles for the S-125 along with missiles during various events.
Additionally, it is worth noting that only in December 2023 did Moldova receive its first modern radar system, acquired from the French company Thales, reportedly the Ground Master 200. This means that the Moldovan military faces challenges not only in intercepting Russian missiles but also with air target detection systems.
If we look at the data regarding Moldova's army air defense, it only lists 28 ZU-23-2 installations and 11 S-60 guns, with no portable air defense systems.
Regarding the aviation component of Moldova's armed forces, the figures are as follows: two An-2 aircraft, six Mi-8 helicopters, and one training Yak-18; meanwhile, the fate of six Moldovan MiG-29s, which have been in storage since the 1990s, remains unaddressed, as Chișinău has been unable to find buyers for them.
Overall, the situation appears paradoxical – despite Moldova's territory being only 33.84 thousand square kilometers, which is just 500 square kilometers more than the Odesa region, the Moldovan military essentially has no means to protect its skies, and this problem is unlikely to be resolved quickly.
This is precisely what the Kremlin exploits with some regularity when directing its missiles and drones along routes that include Moldovan territory.