X-101 Over Moldova: Why did the Russian rocket unable to intercept-experts
In this regard, the question arises why Chisinau did not respond to the incident and did not intercepted the Russian rocket that flew into the territory of Moldova. According to Defense Express observers, this case emphasized a critical problem: Moldova lacks an effective air defense system, which makes its territory vulnerable to such incidents.
"In the case of Moldova, it is worth emphasizing such a fact - this country does not have its own air defense in fact, so it is in fact that there is nothing to knock down the winged missiles and drones of the Russian Federation that fly into the Moldovan airspace," the authors of the publication write. According to The Military Balance 2024, the Moldavian Armed Forces include an anti-aircraft missile regiment with three S-125 SPRs.
However, the reliability of this information is doubtful, according to the observers, since in the 2010s, Moldova probably sold its complexes C-125 through offshore structures. Therefore, the Moldovan soldiers currently have only outdated anti-aircraft guns ZU-23-2 (28 units) and C-60 (11 units), and have no portable anti-aircraft missile system (MAZRK). It was also noted that in December 2023, Moldova received the first modern Ground Master 200 radar station from the French company Thales.
However, the presence of radar does not compensate for the absence of SPRs, since the means of detecting air goals alone can not neutralize the threat. With regard to the Moldovan Air Force, their aviation component is limited by two An-2 transport aircraft, six Mi-8 helicopters and one educational Yak-18. At the same time, the fate of six MiG-29 fighters, which since the 1990s have been stored in the reserve, remains uncertain.
At the end of the analysts, they noted that the territory of Moldova in 33. 84 thousand square meters. km is comparable to the Odessa region, but the country is practically incapable of covering its sky. This vulnerability is regularly used by the Kremlin to plan routes and drones that fly through the Moldovan airspace on the way to Ukraine.
We will remind, in the comment Digi24 a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Romania Konstantin Spin stated that Bucharest did not record the entry of the Russian rocket into the country's airspace on December 25. Earlier it was reported that during a massive attack on Ukraine at the end of November, four Russian missiles flew over the territory of Moldova. Moldova's Defense Minister Anatoly Nosyaty explained that the country is not able to intercept new types of missiles and drones.