(MENAFN) The UK Ministry of Defense disclosed on Tuesday that Britain will dispatch instructors to Moldova to assist with counter-drone operations.

This announcement came just before a scheduled gathering of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. Moldova, once part of the Soviet Union and now a candidate for European Union membership, recently unveiled a fresh ten-year defense strategy.

This new framework emphasizes stronger alignment with NATO and explicitly designates Russia as its main external adversary.

The Kremlin, in response, has cautioned that Moldova’s increasingly hostile approach toward Russia is a strategic error.

As outlined by the MOD, British military professionals will “help train Moldova’s armed forces in counter-drone tactics.”

However, no additional operational specifics were shared. Much of the UK's statement concentrated on its broader initiative to enhance drone warfare capabilities and to accelerate the supply of combat drones to Ukraine, supporting its military operations against Russia.

Russia has persistently referenced NATO’s continuous movement toward its borders — including commitments to eventually include Ukraine — as a central factor behind the ongoing conflict in the region.

Meanwhile, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, known for her pro-European Union stance, has been criticized by opposition figures for alleged authoritarian behavior and political suppression.

While her electoral wins in both presidential and parliamentary races were largely driven by ballots from Moldovans residing in Western Europe, the majority of voters within Moldova leaned toward opposition parties.

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