The Chisinau Airport Attack: Unraveling the Final Pieces
Quick Hit: July 4, 2023
Author’s Note: This is the last of 3 Quick Hits focused on the Chisinau Airport shooting of last week. The need to follow this tragic story has somewhat delayed our Weekly Roundup but we’ll be back with it in the coming days. If you missed it, read part 1 and part 2 of our coverage of the shooting.
What We Know Now
Prosecutors and police have continued to release information clarifying the circumstances of the June 30 shooting at the Chisinau Airport in which one border police officer and one airport security officer were killed.
We now have a better understanding of the timeline of events. The shooter, Rustam Ashurov, arrived in Chisinau at 2:48 pm on Friday June 30th. At 3:21 pm, following a documents check and questioning by border agents, he was informed he would not be allowed into Moldova and escorted to a holding area. Two hours later, at 5:13 pm he suddenly attacked a border police officer, taking his gun and immediately killing the 2 men.
Police now confirm that all reports of both hostage taking and reports that a passenger was injured in the gunfire were false.
Following this initial shooting police and airport security immediately evacuated the airport and engaged in a shootout with the attacker. When FULGER police special forces arrived they attempted to negotiate Ashurov’s surrender but he did not respond. Following these attempts they began the assault which lasted 3 minutes and resulted in the attacker being “injured.”
We now know that Ashurov suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the assault and that he remained in critical condition in the hospital until July 3 when he died.
Prior to his death prosecutors had announced that he would not be extradited to Tajikistan but would stand trial in Moldova for “aggravated murder.” Previous reports suggested that he would be charged with terrorism, this apparently was dropped when authorities found no connections to military or terror groups. The point is moot now.
By 11 am on July 1st the airport had resumed normal operations.
The Attacker: Rustam Ashurov
The shooter, Rustam Ashurov, had no terrorist connections or links to Wagner or the Russian military. Ashurov was formerly a Tajik police officer under their Ministry of Internal Affairs for 7 years. He was fired for “criminal activities” and later sentenced to 13 years in prison for armed robbery in 2012. Later he was released early in a mass amnesty in 2019.
Ashurov is wanted in Tajikistan in connection with the kidnapping of a local banker who has not been found. Tajik authorities are currently searching a river for the car used to kidnap the banker and have arrested 4 other people for the crime.
The Moldovan Police have sought to stress that Ashurov was on no international wanted lists when he arrived in Moldova. Tajik authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on June 23rd but had only begun the paperwork for an international warrant on June 30th. Ashurov had no problems transiting airports in Uzbekistan and Turkey before arriving in Moldova.
Aftermath - What Went Wrong?
From what little information we have, it appears that this was a bizarre confluence of events that ended in tragedy. Border police had no way to know that this man had fled across 3 countries avoiding arrest in Tajikistan. They didn’t know he was a trained police officer and convicted violent criminal member of an organized gang. Meanwhile, Ashurov may not have known, or believed, that he was simply being deported back to his port of origin. If he had done nothing, he would have been in Istanbul in time for a late dinner. Instead, 2 innocent people died.
Multiple technical reviews have started to understand whether or not procedures were followed and if airport security procedures should change. The National Aviation Safety Committee (CNSA) created a working group on July 1st in order to “evaluate and ensure security at the airport.” President Sandu has convened a meeting with relevant state agencies to review how the response to the emergency was conducted. And prosecutors have opened an investigation to understand if there was “criminal non-performance” or “improper performance” on behalf of airport security agencies.
We will follow the outcome of these investigations in future Weekly Roundups.
Condolences, Awards and Funerals
Former Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita offered condolences to the families of those who were killed stating that she knew officer Igor Chofu personally and calling him a “dedicated professional.”
Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban joined the chorus of opposition voices trying to politically capitalize on the events saying that while the “authorities” receive praise the real heroes have died. He announced that the mayor’s office has allocated 100,000 lei to each of the men’s families. It is unclear what “praise” the authorities are receiving.
President Sandu posthumously awarded both men the medal “For Military Merit” and declared July 4th a national day of mourning with flags flown at half mast. At the same time the government allocated 1 million lei to each of the men’s families.
President Sandu took part in the funeral ceremony for boarder guard Sergei Munteanu who was laid to rest in his native village of Volintiri with full military honors. The President, speaking at a funeral ceremony in Chisinau said:
“I know that there are no words that could somehow ease your grief. But know that we share your pain. Together we will carry in our hearts the memory of his heroism,”… “Moldova exists thanks to such heroes who fulfill their duty with dignity every day. But each such loss is a tragedy for all of us, for the whole country,”
Final Note
It is hard to imagine a clearer reminder than this incident of what a small, safe, country Moldova is. This incident shocked and horrified many Moldovans who are not accustomed to gun crime or serious concerns about airport security. Even with a war raging in a neighboring nation things like this “happen far away” in most people’s view. It has been a sad few days in Moldova, may the heroes Sergei Muntyan and Igor Chiofu rest in peace.