Drone breaches Romanian airspace during Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine

Romania scrambled fighter jets on Saturday (13 September) when a drone breached the country’s airspace during a Russian attack on Ukrainian infrastructure near the border, the defence ministry said.

Defence Minister Ionuț Moșteanu said the F-16 pilots came close to taking down the drone as it was flying very low before it left national airspace toward Ukraine.

A threat of drone strikes also prompted Poland to deploy aircraft and close an airport in the eastern city of Lublin on Saturday, three days after it shot down Russian drones in its airspace with the backing of aircraft from its NATO allies.

Romania, a European Union and NATO state which shares a 650-km border with Ukraine, has had Russian drone fragments fall onto its territory repeatedly since Russia began waging war on its neighbour.

On Saturday, it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and later two Eurofighters – part of German air policing missions in Romania – and warned citizens in the southeastern county of Tulcea near the Danube and its Ukrainian border to take cover, the defence ministry said in a statement.

It added the jets detected a drone in national airspace, which they followed until it dropped off the radar 20 km southwest of the village of Chilia Veche.

Moșteanu told private television station Antena 3 that helicopters will survey the area near the border to look for potential drone parts, “but all information at this moment indicates the drone exited airspace to Ukraine.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media platform X that data showed the drone breached about 10 kilometres into Romanian territory and operated in NATO airspace for around 50 minutes.

“It is an obvious expansion of the war by Russia – and this is exactly how they act,” he said. “Sanctions against Russia are needed. Tariffs against Russian trade are needed. Collective defence is needed.”

NATO announced plans to beef up the defence of Europe’s eastern flank on Friday, after Poland shot down drones that had violated its airspace, the first known shots fired by a member of the Western alliance during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

NATO to beef up defence of Europe’s eastern flank after Poland shot down drones

Romanian lawmakers approved a law earlier this year enabling the army to shoot down drones illegally breaching Romanian airspace during peacetime, based on threat levels and risks to human life and property, but the bill does not yet have all enforcement rules approved.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard wrote on platform X that the airspace breach was “another unacceptable violation of NATO airspace.”

“Sweden stands in full solidarity with Romania as a NATO Ally and EU Member State. We are always ready to contribute further to the deterrence and defence of the Alliance.”

Romania has repeatedly reported violations of its airspace and drone debris landing on its territory. These incidents, often occurring during Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube River (such as Izmail in Odesa Oblast), are typically attributed to stray or malfunctioning Shahed-type drones. While most have not caused casualties or major damage, they have prompted heightened NATO air patrols, fighter jet scrambles, and legislative changes in Romania to authorise shooting down unauthorised drones.

With Reuters, edited by g.g.

Caption: Illustrative photo. Two Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jets participate in exercise `Ramstein Flag 2024` in Greece, 4 October 2024. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER