President Maia Sandu announced July 4 as a day of national mourning in honor of the victims at Chisinau International Airport. A border guard and guard killed by a foreigner were posthumously awarded the “Combat Merit” medal.

Chisinau AirportPhoto: Cristian Straista/AP/Profimedia

As a sign of honoring the memory of Serhii Muntyan and Igor Chofu, victims of the tragic incident that occurred at Chisinau International Airport on June 30, 2023, and as a sign of deep sympathy and solidarity with the families, relatives and close friends of the victims, President Maia Sandu signed a decree announcing July 4, 2023 is a day of national mourning, the presidency of the Republic of Moldova announced.

On this day, national flags will be flown at half mast in all populated areas of the country, as well as in diplomatic and consular institutions of the Republic of Moldova abroad. At 12.00, the memory of the dead will be honored with a minute of silence.

State authorities, enterprises and organizations are recommended to abandon mass entertainment events, and mass media to take into account the specifics of July 4 when editing publications and forming programs.

President Maia Sandu also signed a decree on the posthumous awarding of the “Military Merit” medal to Reserve Lieutenant Colonel of the Security and State Guard Service Ihor Chofu and Deputy Chief of the Border Police Serhiy Muntyan.

On Friday, citizen of Tajikistan Rustam Ashurov killed two people at Chisinau International Airport.

The attacker from the Chisinau airport was wanted by the authorities of his country of origin for involvement in the kidnapping of the bank’s first vice president.

Later, after committing this crime, he fled through Turkey to the Republic of Moldova with the intention of continuing to hide in the countries of the European Union.

“While crossing the state border of the Republic of Moldova and trying to be detained, he took a weapon from one of the policemen at Chisinau airport, killed two people and took several people hostage. Ashurov R.K. was wounded and arrested during the anti-terrorist operation. The criminal investigation in this case is ongoing,” the Prosecutor General’s Office of Tajikistan reported.