Transnistria Foreign Ministry Calls Drone Strike on Military Base Terrorist Attack

TIRASPOL (Sputnik) - The bombing of a helicopter by a kamikaze drone at an airfield in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria was a terrorist attack, the region's foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Transnistrian Ministry of State Security said on Sunday that an explosion caused by a kamikaze drone attack occurred on the territory of a military base in the breakaway region. No casualties were reported, the ministry said, adding that a criminal case had been initiated.

"We condemn this terrorist act and any similar actions that threaten people’s lives, peace and security on the banks of the Dniester River, which is a challenge for all states truly interested in regional stability," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also called on the 5+2 format on Transnistria to take active position to prevent terrorist attacks in the region, the statement read.

Transnistria Investigators Open Criminal Case Into Helicopter Blast at Military Base

The Investigative Committee of Moldova's unrecognized breakaway region of Transnistria said on Monday that it had opened a criminal case under the article sabotage in connection with the bombing of a helicopter at an airfield in Tiraspol.

On Sunday, the regional ministry of state security told Sputnik that an explosion caused by a kamikaze drone attack occurred on the territory of a military base in Transnistria.

"A criminal case has been opened into the fact of the explosion of the MI-8 MT helicopter under Part 1 of Article 277 of the Criminal Code of Transnistria [sabotage]," the statement said.

Experts found various metal and plastic parts of the drone that exploded at the scene, the investigators said, adding that a special examination has been appointed to establish the explosive with which the drone was loaded.