BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania intercepted a suspected Russian drone that entered its airspace on Sunday, marking the third such incident in three days for the Eastern European nation, a European Union and NATO member, President Nicușor Dan said.
Two Romanian F‑16 fighter jets scrambled from the Fetești airbase, operating under NATO’s command, and shot down the drone over the Black Sea, the alliance confirmed.
“A new drone was shot down this morning at 10:13 by an F‑16 of the Romanian Air Force over Romania’s territorial waters in the Sulina–Chilia area,” President Dan said.
He added that authorities identified one of the earlier intercepted drones as a Shahed‑type vehicle, which the Russian Federation uses in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
This marks the fourth recent downing by Romania of a drone violating NATO airspace, carried out in coordination with the alliance, said Col. Martin O’Donnell, a spokesperson for NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
Earlier, in May, Romanian jets shot down a drone over Estonia, he noted. Romanian pilots and aircraft are based in Lithuania, from where they maintain broad strike capabilities as part of NATO’s eastern posture.
“NATO remains constantly vigilant and prepared to defend itself from any threat,” O’Donnell said.
Romania has acquired the MEROPS counter‑drone system, which deploys inexpensive, three‑foot drones to neutralize incoming Shahed and other variants. The system is part of a broader effort to harden NATO’s extensive eastern border against drone attacks.
In May, a Russian drone intended for an attack on Ukraine strayed and struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people and raising concerns that the conflict could spill onto NATO territory.
“It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romanian airspace, which is also NATO and European Union airspace,” President Dan said. “These actions are unacceptable, and we are addressing them with full seriousness together with our allies.”
NATO and EU ally Belgium described Sunday’s incursion as a “stark reminder of the ongoing threat Russia’s war poses to European security.”
“Belgium stands firmly with Romania after several drones were shot down over its territory in recent days. Romania’s investigation has already confirmed that one of them was a Russian Shahed drone,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said, noting that 300 Belgian troops are stationed in Romania as part of NATO’s eastern flank force.
A series of drone incursions by both Russia and Ukraine have struck Romania and other NATO members since Moscow launched its full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
McNeil reported from Brussels.
