Romania Detects Russian Drone in Its Airspace Amid Ukraine Strikes
Romania spotted a Russian drone buzzing into its airspace on Saturday night, right as Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine. This marks the second NATO country this week to face such an intrusion, following Poland’s similar scare.
The Romanian defense ministry quickly sent two F-16 fighter jets into the sky to intercept the drone. The pilots tracked it as it crossed about 10 kilometers into Romanian territory near the border village of Chilia Veche. But the drone vanished from radar soon after, according to reports from France 24. Officials stressed that it stayed away from homes and didn’t threaten civilians. Still, search teams are on alert for any wreckage that might turn up.
This isn’t the first time Romania has dealt with drone debris from the Russia-Ukraine war. Since Moscow’s invasion kicked off in 2022, bits of drones have landed on Romanian soil, especially as Russian forces target Ukrainian ports near the border. Just days ago, Poland reported Russian drones violating its airspace and even shot some down, calling it a clear provocation. It was the first time a NATO nation fired on drones tied to the Ukraine conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t hold back in his reaction. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he revealed the drone lingered in NATO airspace for nearly 50 minutes. "Today, Romania scrambled combat aircraft because of a Russian drone in its airspace," Zelenskyy wrote. He pointed out that Russian drones swarmed various Ukrainian regions all day, including areas near Belarus. Preliminary info suggests Belarusian airspace might have helped the drones slip into Ukraine toward the Volyn region. Zelenskyy slammed it as no accident—Russia’s military plans these routes precisely. "This is an obvious expansion of the war by Russia," he added, warning of small steps leading to bigger dangers.
The timing couldn’t be more tense. A day before Romania’s incident, NATO unveiled plans to beef up air defenses along its eastern borders in response to these drone threats. Earlier this year, Romania’s parliament passed a key law letting its forces shoot down any drones that enter the country, tackling rising border security risks head-on.
NATO’s new push, dubbed Operation Eastern Sentry, is already rolling out after the Polish drone breach raised alarms across Europe’s eastern flank, as CNN reports. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the Russian moves "dangerous and unacceptable" and stressed the alliance’s defensive stance. "Eastern Sentry will add flexibility and strength to our posture and make clear that we’re always ready to defend," Rutte said.
The operation kicks off soon with help from allies like Denmark, France, Germany, and the UK. US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, explained it will mix air and naval forces, better air defense systems, and sharper intelligence sharing. First moves are happening right away, though it’ll build gradually.
Expect to see F-16 jets and a Danish anti-air frigate, French Rafale fighters, and German Eurofighters in action. Grynkewich said the goal is a nimble defense line stretching from the High North to the Black Sea and Mediterranean, keeping NATO’s eastern edge secure amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine tensions.
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