Romanian Airspace Violated by Drone Amidst Ukraine Conflict
Romania scrambled fighter jets on Saturday, September 13th, in response to a suspected drone intrusion into its airspace, coinciding with Russian attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine near the Romanian border. the Romanian Ministry of Defence reported the incident, stating that two F-16s and subsequently two Eurofighter Typhoons – part of the German-led air policing mission in Romania - were deployed. Residents in southeastern Romania, near the Danube River and the Ukrainian border, were advised to seek shelter.
Defense Minister Ion-Antonescu Moste revealed that the aircraft detected the drone within Romanian airspace and tracked it until it exited radar coverage approximately 20 kilometers southwest of the village of chilli. Helicopters are currently being deployed to search the border area for potential drone debris, though initial assessments suggest the drone ultimately crossed into Ukrainian airspace.
The incident occurred as Poland also reacted to airspace violations, ordering aircraft to be stationed and temporarily closing the Lublin airport after shooting down Russian drones within its own territory. Poland is receiving air support from NATO allies.
Romania, a NATO and European Union member sharing a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, has repeatedly experienced debris from Russian drones falling onto its territory since the start of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated via X (formerly Twitter) that the drone penetrated Romanian airspace for approximately 10 kilometers and remained within NATO airspace for around 50 minutes, characterizing it as a purposeful escalation of the Russian war. He called for increased sanctions on Russian trade and collective defense measures.
NATO announced plans on Friday to reinforce its eastern flank following Poland’s downing of a Russian drone – the first such incident involving a Western partner during the conflict. Romania recently passed legislation allowing its military to operate in its airspace during peacetime to address potential threats, though full implementation of the law is still pending.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard expressed solidarity with Romania via X,condemning the airspace violation as “unacceptable” and reaffirming Sweden’s commitment to preventing and protecting its partners as a NATO and EU member.