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/3myx3swgya223Great talk with Arnout about the worsening maritime security in the Black Sea, even as drone strikes continued and political resolve and solutions are yet to be found. More civilian vessels are struck by Russian drones, driving up costs for maritime security and global food markets. [contains quote post or other embedded content]28 Oct 2026 15:44 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3myx3swgya223https://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mxble4v6zk2eGlad to collaborate with @defence24pl.bsky.social on the joint Defence24-ACLED piece where we examine the Russian strikes and sabotage that build up the growing pressure on the critical rail corridor connecting Ukraine with Europe and what better protection requires: https://defence24.com/geopolitics/from-drone-strikes-to-sabotage-russia-targets-the-rail-corridor-linking-ukraine-and-poland07 Oct 2026 08:59 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxble4v6zk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mvuwkgalyc2r"ACLED, organizație care monitorizează conflictele și violența politică, menționează într-o analiză că unele incursiuni ale dronelor pot fi accidentale, dar că traiectoria unei drone Geran care a traversat spațiul aerian moldovenesc pe 8 septembrie sugerează că (...) https://protv.md/actualitate/de-ce-ajung-dronele-rusesti-in-spatiul-aerian-al-republicii-moldova-si-al-nato-expertii-avertizeaza-asupra-unui-posibil-razboi-hibrid-vor-sa-creeze-o-situatie-in-care-autoritatile-sa-fie-depasite-video---2767611.html19 Sep 2026 14:49 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvuwkgalyc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3mv3km24kac2yTentative flight path of the #Russia Geran-4 drone that flew through #Moldova, eastern #Romania, and then crashed north of Balti yesterday, as mapped by ISW: https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-8-2026/ [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Sep 2026 12:39 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3km24kac2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cristivlas.bsky.social/post/3muziwwryp222Russian jet-powered Geran-3/4 drone targeting #Ukraine speeds through Bender, central #Moldova closing its airspace, enters #Romania airspace near Iasi airport, and then returns to Moldova, crashing into a field north of Balti. https://www.mapn.ro/cpresa/19394_precizari https://www.army.md/ro/comunicate-de-presa/informeaza-1108 Sep 2026 17:04 +0000at://did:plc:nxtrec6onrwbdbzdwfugteca/app.bsky.feed.post/3muziwwryp222https://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/3mtw2wpgjx22s