Romania, a NATO member, has begun shooting down drones entering its airspace from the ongoing Ukraine conflict, marking a shift from years of tolerating incursions. The new enforcement approach reflects escalating concerns over cross-border military operations affecting NATO territory.
Romania's F-16 fighter jets shot down a third Russian drone over its airspace and the Black Sea on July 26. The NATO member's president declared the repeated incursions "intolerable."
A Romanian jet fighter shot down a suspected Russian drone, raising concerns that Russia's war on Ukraine could escalate to involve neighboring NATO states. The incident underscores escalating military tensions in the region.
Romania's Ministry of Defence reported that an F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone over Romanian airspace using an air-to-air missile during a routine air policing mission on July 23. Military sources noted that Iranian-made Shaheed drones require large expensive missiles to intercept.
A Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone that entered the country's airspace on July 24, marking the first time NATO member Romania has taken such action since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The drone was detected via radar surveillance.