Romanian drone downing: ‘Unacceptable and intolerable’: Romania shoots down third suspected Russian drone in three days, summons Moscow envoy
Romania shot down a drone on Sunday as it entered Black Sea airspace, the third such interception in as many days by the Nato member, which accuses Russia of repeated violations of its sovereignty amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.Romania’s Defense Ministry said an F-16 fighter jet destroyed the drone about 12 kilometers northeast of the coastal town of Sulina after entering the country’s airspace. According to Reuters, the drone was shot down safely over territorial waters.Romanian President Nicosol Dan condemned the repeated incursions, calling them “unacceptable and intolerable.”“The Russian Federation continues to violate Romanian airspace, which is also NATO airspace and EU airspace, which is unacceptable and intolerable,” Dan said in a post on X.
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He added: “Such actions are unacceptable and, along with our allies, we take them with the utmost seriousness.”
Third drone shot down in three days
Romania has not previously shot down any drones that entered its airspace since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. That changed on Friday, when a Romanian pilot successfully shot down a drone in an uninhabited area.Sunday’s interception was the third drone shot down in three days.The Danish president said an investigation confirmed that the drone destroyed on Friday was a Shahd drone, a model widely used by the Russian military in Ukraine.The investigation into the drones downed on Saturday and Sunday is still ongoing.Romania’s Defense Ministry said Russian drones had entered the country’s airspace without authorization 33 times since the war began.
Romania summons Russian ambassador
Following the latest incursion, Romania’s foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against repeated violations of the country’s airspace, Reuters reported.Prime Minister Ili Boroyan also called the violations “unacceptable.”Defense Minister Radu Miluta said Romania would continue to protect its sovereignty.“Romania will continue to staunchly defend its sovereignty and airspace, but these provocations must stop,” he wrote on Facebook, according to Reuters.Prosecutors have recovered debris from the drone that was downed on Friday and are continuing to search for pieces of the other two drones.
NATO monitoring situation
NATO said further details about Sunday’s incident were still under investigation.According to Reuters, U.S. Army Colonel Martin O’Donnell, spokesman for NATO Military Headquarters, said, “The shooting down occurred at a time when NATO, Romania and other countries are actively purchasing ground interceptors to enhance the air defense capabilities of allied forces and countries.”Romania shares a 650-kilometer (400-mile) border with Ukraine, and Russian drone incursions have become increasingly frequent as Moscow steps up attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube River.
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Border tensions rise
Romania has experienced a number of security incidents in the past year related to the war in neighboring Ukraine.Romania passed a law in 2025 allowing its military to shoot down drones that violate its airspace.Earlier this year, a Russian drone involved in attacks on Ukraine struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people, while in June, a Ukrainian maritime drone exploded near the Black Sea port of Constanta without causing any casualties.Separately, Romania’s army chief said on Friday that Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukraine’s Odessa region ahead of the harvest season are putting more pressure on the main Black Sea energy and trade route.
