Focus on political and armed violence, 🇲🇩 (the sandwiched country), 🇷🇴, 🇺🇦, Eastern Europe Views here are personal. @cristivlas.mas.to.ap.brid.gy bridge from Mastodonhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mujgbuaqpc2pCommented here on the impact of the Nord Stream sabotage case on Berlin-Kyiv relations: “It’s a matter of principle for the German government, but it’s also a matter of the rule of law,” Cristian Vlas, an expert with ACLED told Al Jazeera.02 Sep 2026 07:34 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mujgbuaqpc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mu3cmbrelc2xAs the CIA chief warns Moscow, will Russia’s drone incursions and sabotage continue in Eastern Europe? https://acleddata.com/expert-comment/cia-chief-warns-moscow-will-russias-drone-incursions-and-sabotage-continue-eastern27 Aug 2026 16:51 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu3cmbrelc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mu2dwgj3c223You know the drone bubble/mania is real when a pro-Russian, largely populist politician in #Moldova, Renato Usatîi, talks about intending to produce drones in an EU member state. t.me/agoramd/39976 https://t.me/agoramd/3997627 Aug 2026 07:42 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu2dwgj3c223https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtyi7nhvpk2mA Drone Killed Three Ukrainians. It Was Guided Entirely by A.I. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/world/europe/russia-drones-autonomous-ai-kill-ukraine-war.html26 Aug 2026 13:53 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtyi7nhvpk2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtw6m6rvzk2sAs drone attacks on Ukraine intensify, Eastern Europe is straining to counter the spillover https://acleddata.com/report/drone-attacks-ukraine-intensify-eastern-europe-straining-counter-spillover25 Aug 2026 15:56 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtw6m6rvzk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtw2wpgjx22s#Ukraine ambassador to #Moldova reiterates the country's openness to collaborate on anti-drone systems and interceptor drones with Chisinau, as Moldova struggles with incursions of #Russia drones. https://tvrmoldova.md/article/669dad96e2e9d858/productie-comuna-de-drone-r-moldova-ucraina-ce-spune-ambasadorul-paun-rohovei.html25 Aug 2026 14:50 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtw2wpgjx22shttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtlc5ljl6c2iAttempting to slow down Ukrainian exports, Russian drones hit a second checkpoint (Tabaky) this week on the #Ukraine #Moldova border, after hitting trucks in Reni a day before. Hits hint a switch to destroying border checkpoints to prevent any, not just grain, exports.21 Aug 2026 08:00 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlc5ljl6c2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtlbgnesmk2iInitially hit by F-16 cannon fire and eventually destroyed by Romanian Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Looks like it was drifting for a while, given the guano partially covering its top. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Aug 2026 07:47 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlbgnesmk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtj4z5tgb2232 #Romania F-16 jets destroy an explosive-laden naval drone meters away from the new Neptun Alpha drilling platform, 80 miles east of the port of Constanța. The drone was reported drifting at sea at 6:30 local time by a commercial vessel and is reportedly NOT of Ukrainian origin.20 Aug 2026 11:23 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtj4z5tgb223https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtir2s233k22Russia refused a ceasefire on strikes in the Black Sea. What now for Ukraine's grain exports? https://acleddata.com/expert-comment/russia-refused-ceasefire-strikes-black-sea-what-now-grain-exports20 Aug 2026 07:49 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtir2s233k22https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mtg5ev6rnc2lAfter initially seeking asylum in Orbán's Hungary, the fugitive Polish politician Marcin Romanowski reports to Polish court about him currently living in Tiraspol, Transnistrian region of #Moldova, which Moldovan Police is investigating.19 Aug 2026 06:51 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtg5ev6rnc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3msukiy2u4c2qUkraine, Moldova consider shipping grain by rail through Moldova, sources say https://www.reuters.com/business/ukraine-moldova-consider-shipping-grain-by-rail-through-moldova-sources-say-2026-08-10/12 Aug 2026 06:58 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3msukiy2u4c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3msfn25qpxk2bA New Lethal Front in Ukraine: Its Beloved Gas Stations https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/world/europe/ukraine-gas-stations-russia.html06 Aug 2026 08:34 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3msfn25qpxk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3msdz3weu3s22Russia is hunting people in barbaric ‘human safaris’ https://inews.co.uk/news/world/barbaric-truth-russias-human-safari-4688671?utm_campaign=PNIuDghCTr62mie&ito=gifted_article&data-target=gifted_article&utm_source=XJPLeh5koSHChZEU05 Aug 2026 17:04 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3msdz3weu3s22https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3ms6kowim7c2sUkraine’s drone campaign is dismantling Russia’s military supply network in the occupied south https://acleddata.com/report/ukraines-drone-campaign-dismantling-russias-military-supply-network-occupied-south03 Aug 2026 13:03 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms6kowim7c2shttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mru4f7wvlc2cCommented on the sudden change in #Romania tactics of countering #Russian drone incursions and the implications for the security of navigation around the Danube Delta. #Ukraine #Moldova [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Jul 2026 09:20 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mru4f7wvlc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mrp2puhiic2rACLED’s Research Manager for Eastern Europe, Olha Polishchuk, said: "Ukraine’s attack on an Iranian vessel is less about opening a new front against Tehran and more about disrupting supply routes between Iran and Russia." https://acleddata.com/expert-comment/why-would-ukraine-attack-iranian-tanker28 Jul 2026 09:07 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrp2puhiic2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mqj2zkkohk2yFollowing Russian attacks on Ukraine's Odesa region, a stray Geran-type drone exploded upon landing near Copanca in southeastern #Moldova. Moldova's MFA firmly condemned Russia's violation of Moldovan airspace and its aggression against Ukraine. https://www.zdg.md/stiri/o-drona-a-explodat-in-copanca-raionul-causeni-preliminar-obiectul-de-zbor-este-de-tip-gheran-2-reactia-mae/13 Jul 2026 06:31 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqj2zkkohk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mqgmcafs6k2h [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Jul 2026 07:02 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqgmcafs6k2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mpq57xjgv22kWho was behind those drone incursions over Europe? https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/07/02/who-was-behind-those-drone-incursions-over-europe03 Jul 2026 08:34 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpq57xjgv22khttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mnn3fexfss24Had the pleasure of talking to Arnout about the drone (in)security situation in Romania and EU's eastern flank for de Volkskrant before the Constanța incident. And it seems correct to say nobody was prepared for the naval drone incident either. [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Jun 2026 16:33 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnn3fexfss24https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mnmdvqmads2qUntil we get to process all the versions around the naval drone that exploded yesterday in the Black Sea port of Constanța, we can take a look at the clearer picture of the Ukrainian drone overflights in the Baltic region and the Russian drone strike on an apartment building in Galați, Romania.06 Jun 2026 09:33 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnmdvqmads2q