Russia has denied allegations of breaching Romanian airspace with a drone, instead accusing Ukraine of orchestrating a “deliberate provocation”. The incident, which occurred on September 13, involved a drone detected in Romanian airspace near the Danube Delta, prompting the Romanian Air Force to scramble F-16 fighter jets. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the drone was tracked for a short period before disappearing from radar without posing an imminent threat to populated areas.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu condemned Russia’s actions as “unacceptable and reckless” and summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a formal protest. Țoiu emphasized the need to raise the cost of Moscow’s “illegal actions” and announced plans to raise the issue at the United Nations General Assembly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, suggested that Russia’s actions were part of a broader pattern of escalation, stating that Russia was “expanding the war” through such incidents.
The incident has heightened tensions between Russia and NATO, with Romania being a key member of the alliance’s eastern flank. Romania has reported several drone fragments crashing on its territory since the start of the Ukraine war, particularly during attacks on Ukrainian ports. This incident follows similar reports from Poland, where Russian drones were spotted and downed, with Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk warning of a potential test for NATO.
