Moldova’s pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria said on Sunday that a suicide drone sent from Ukraine attacked a military base in the region. Allegations denied by Moldovan authorities, who say the intention is to sow “fear and panic”. All eyes are now on Russia, which supports this separatist enclave bordering Ukraine.
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At first glance, this is an image we regularly compare on social media. A helicopter explodes on the ground with what appears to be a drone. This time, the scene takes place at the Tiraspol base in Transnistria, and so it’s a Moldovan machine burning in pro-Russian territory.
Millions of views of the video on X and Telegram
State security of the self-proclaimed republic speak up Immediately after the attack. The source specified, in a press release, that the kamikaze drone came from the Odesa region Ukraine. Kiev answers, and speaks ” provocation of Russia “, to run it is specified at ” Climbing in the region “
However, some points deserve our attention. First of all, the target: the Russian-made Mi-8 helicopter. We manage to geolocate the scene.
The helicopter is parked in a parking lot in a corner of the base. A base that is apparently very passive. Referring to satellite images accessible on Google Earth, we see that the target machine has been parked there since 2003 and has not had its rotor turned on since at least 2013…
Additionally, the images indicate that part of the windshield was broken or smashed. The turbine and delicate sensors are not protected by the cover.
No doubt: the helicopter is not in flight mode, as such This has also been confirmed by Chisinau authorities..
Another issue: drones. A black shape appears for a very brief moment on the left side of the image, but disappears before the explosion. Freeze frame does not make it possible to detect the drone in question during the effect. That being said, the explosion is significant. It blows out parts of the glass, and also causes the rear ramp to open. It is impossible to identify the drone or its origin, but a relatively large machine would be expected given the fireball seen on the screen.
No missile hitting the helicopter can be seen in the images. We can rule out the fact that the explosion was connected to the helicopter’s fuel, as it is highly unlikely that a machine abandoned for such a long time would have kerosene or even steam left in its tank.
A false flag attack?
In the end, a video camera placed right in front of the scene filmed the wreckage possibly being hit by an unidentified drone, which in a few hours would spark a wave of comments on the network, as this professional account – a Russian one – reveals. that ” Putin now has support enough The Ukrainians recklessly attacked the state of Transnistria and destroyed an old Mi-8 helicopter. »
Furthermore, images of charred debris are picked up and amplified by typical Russian propaganda sites such as New.ruidentified in France As part of the Portal Combat Disinformation Network.
A rerun of the March 17 event in Moldova by accounts close to Moscow on Twitter
🚨 ‼️ Immediate ‼️ Expansion of conflict
A drone attack destroys a helicopter at a military base in TransnistriaIt is difficult to interpret the active militarization of Moldova, the unprecedented number of joint exercises with the troops of NATO countries… pic.twitter.com/0s07aKFtdr
— Camille Moscow 🇷🇺 🌿 ✝️ (@camille_moscow) March 17, 2024
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In late February, Transnistrian authorities asked Moscow for “defensive measures” in the face of pressure from the Moldovan government. Sunday’s incident comes as voters in the pro-Russian separatist region ” A patriotic vote should lead to the re-election of Vladimir Putin At the head of Russia.
A narrow strip of land located in between Moldova And Ukraine, Transnistria seceded after a brief war in 1992 against the Moldovan army. Russia still has 1,500 troops, according to official figures, mainly intended to carry out peacekeeping missions.
