BUCHAREST, Romania - Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two jet-powered attack drones over the Black Sea on Saturday after the aircraft entered Romania’s national airspace, the country’s Defense Ministry said.
The interceptions occurred over Romanian territorial waters near Sulina on Oct. 17, marking a direct response by a NATO member to unauthorized drones crossing its border.
Romania’s radar surveillance system first detected a group of aerial targets about 120 kilometers, or 75 miles, east of Snake Island moving southwest, according to an updated Defense Ministry statement.
Two Drones Downed in Four Minutes
Two Romanian Air Force F-16s on air-policing duty took off from Borcea Air Base at 5:43 p.m. local time.
The first drone entered Romanian airspace at 5:59 p.m. and was shot down southeast of Sulina at 6:01 p.m., after spending about two minutes inside the country’s airspace. The second entered at 6:01 p.m. and was destroyed east of Sulina at 6:05 p.m., after remaining in Romanian airspace for about five minutes.
The ministry identified both targets as jet-powered attack drones from the Geran family. It did not say where the drones were launched or formally identify the country responsible for the incursion.
Romanian officials stressed that the drones were destroyed above the country’s territorial waters and within national airspace, rather than over neighboring Ukraine.
NATO to Discuss Black Sea Threat
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said the incident would be raised at a meeting of NATO’s North Atlantic Council on Tuesday, Oct. 20. DW reported that Bucharest has repeatedly detected drone incursions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
Romania shares a 614-kilometer, or 381-mile, border with Ukraine, much of it along the Danube. The Sulina Canal is a major route linking the river to the Black Sea and is used for Ukrainian exports.
The Romanian Defense Ministry said its radar network had detected aerial targets near the border on eight separate occasions during the previous week. Drones briefly entered Romanian airspace in four of those cases.
The latest interceptions came amid growing concern over attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Several vessels have been hit in recent days, including ships in Romanian territorial waters, prompting regional governments to seek stronger air and maritime defenses.
Romania said it is continuing to adjust its response procedures to defend both its national airspace and territorial sea.
Source: Vesti Baku, citing Romania’s Ministry of National Defense and DW.