Romania has strongly condemned Russia after claiming that a Russian drone violated its airspace during an attack on Ukraine, raising fresh concerns over regional security in Eastern Europe.
According to Romania’s defense ministry, the drone crossed into Romanian territory at around 6:05 p.m. local time on Saturday. It remained in the airspace for nearly 50 minutes before leaving the northern Dobruja region near the town of Pardina and returning toward Ukraine.
Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets on patrol were deployed to intercept the drone. The pilots tracked it visually and through radar and were given authorization to shoot it down. However, they decided against it due to the potential risk of collateral damage to civilians on the ground.
Romania’s defense ministry released a statement condemning what it described as “irresponsible actions by the Russian Federation,” saying the incident endangered Romanian citizens and violated international law. Officials warned that the breach was another challenge to stability and NATO’s collective security in the Black Sea region.
The fallout has also taken a diplomatic turn. Romania’s foreign minister summoned Russian ambassador Vladimir Lipaev, who dismissed the allegations and described them as “another provocation of the Kyiv regime,” according to Russian state media.
The European Union joined Romania in condemning the incident. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the violation “an unacceptable breach of an EU member state’s sovereignty” and expressed full solidarity with Bucharest. She warned that such escalations increase the risk of conflict spreading across the region.
The drone breach came only days after Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed its airspace, highlighting growing concerns among NATO allies along the eastern flank. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also commented, saying the drone flew about 10 kilometers inside Romanian territory and remained in NATO-controlled airspace for nearly an hour. He urged stronger international sanctions against Moscow, warning that waiting for further attacks would only worsen the threat.
The latest incident underscores the rising tensions between Russia and NATO members as the war in Ukraine continues, with drone attacks increasingly spilling over into neighboring states.
