The key facts

  • On October 26, a Ukrainian crossed Moldova's air border on a motorized paraglider along the Chernivtsi — Larga route and was found two kilometers from the border.
  • During the check, the man requested asylum in the Republic of Moldova.
  • The reasons for the flight and the decision on asylum have not been officially named; the Border Police are conducting an investigation.

Flight from Chernivtsi to Larga

On October 26, a citizen of Ukraine crossed the border with Moldova on a motorized paraglider and, after landing, requested asylum. This was reported by the Moldovan Border Police, as relayed by Gazeta.Ru citing RIA Novosti. The aircraft was found near the village of Larga in the Briceni district; the unlawful crossing of the air border occurred along the Chernivtsi — Larga route.

The search for the violator

Ukrainian colleagues informed Moldovan border guards about the approaching aircraft: an unknown person was heading from Chernivtsi toward Moldovan territory. After that, law enforcement officers carried out operational measures and found the man approximately two thousand meters from the demarcation line. During the check, he confirmed his Ukrainian citizenship and asked to be granted asylum on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. The violation of airspace was also reported by the Moldovan Ministry of Defense.

What is known and what remains unknown

The Border Police continue the investigation to establish all the circumstances of the incident. The reasons why the man left Ukraine have not been officially named; his age and personal details are not disclosed. It is also unknown how long the flight lasted, where he obtained the aircraft, and how he prepared to cross the border. No decision has yet been made on the asylum request. Gazeta.Ru linked the case to fleeing mobilization in its headline, however Life.ru notes that there is no basis for such a link so far — in Ukraine, under martial law, there are restrictions on leaving the country for certain categories of citizens, but the specific motives have not been confirmed.

Context

Earlier, the Agerpres agency reported that approximately 2,500 citizens of Ukraine unlawfully crossed the border in the mountainous regions of Romania in the first half of 2026; most of those detained explained the crossings as fleeing the conflict zone. It was also previously reported about 49-year-old Alexei Koval, who tried to reach Moldova by swimming across the Dniester; according to him, two Ukrainian border guards chased him on a motorboat; the man was pulled out of the water by local residents, after which he reached his family in Bulgaria.

Significance of the incident

The case shows that the border between Ukraine and Moldova is being crossed in increasingly unusual ways — from swimming to a motorized paraglider, while the Moldovan side records airspace violations and opens investigations. For the citizens themselves, the outcome of such attempts is uncertain: no decision has yet been made on the asylum request in this case, and the previous episode with the crossing of the Dniester ended in hospitalization with a concussion. In practical terms, this means increased control in border areas and continued verification of the circumstances of each such crossing.