Moldovan surveillance systems detected an unauthorized aircraft at 00:17 on September 21 entering from the Vinnytsia region of Ukraine. The object flew toward the Transnistrian segment of Moldova and later shifted course north toward Dondușeni and Briceni before disappearing from radar at 00:44 near Tabani. Military reconnaissance and engineering teams have been deployed to the Briceni district to investigate the terrain.

The government restricted northern airspace for 24 minutes during a series of large scale attacks by Russia on Ukraine. Romania scrambled 2 F-16 fighter jets from Borcea Air Base to monitor an aerial target 12 km north of Chilia after issuing a RO-Alert to residents of northern Tulcea County at 05:30. The alert was lifted at 06:14, and Romanian officials confirmed no unauthorized entry occurred into their airspace.