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Romania scrambles NATO jets after deepest Russian drone incursion amid Ukraine attack
Romania responded with German Eurofighter Typhoons and Romanian F-16 fighter jets after two Russian drones penetrated its airspace near the border with Ukraine during a large-scale Russian assault on Ukraine. One drone flew more than 100 kilometers inland into Romanian territory, marking the deepest known violation of NATO airspace since the start of the conflict. Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu called the incursion a new Russian provocation. NATO pilots tracked the drones closely but refrained from shooting down one drone over concerns about collateral damage, recovering fragments later from Romanian soil.
This marked the 13th Russian drone violation of Romanian airspace since February 2022, yet it was the first to occur during daylight hours and to advance so far into Romanian territory toward Vrancea County. Alerts to seek shelter were issued across three counties. German Eurofighters first intercepted the initial drone near Tulcea County, while Romanian F-16s later tracked a second incursion near Galați County. Despite repeated drone flights and falling debris, no injuries or significant damages have been reported from these incursions.
The broader context includes a massive Russian attack on Ukraine with missiles and over 460 drones, with neighboring Moldova also reporting unauthorized drone flights, including one crashing on a house without exploding. Romania, as a NATO and EU member with a 650-kilometer border adjoining Ukraine, faces ongoing threats from these incursions amid escalating Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure near the Danube River. U.S. General Christopher Donahue announced the imminent deployment of new counter-drone defenses in Romania’s Danube Delta, aiming to enhance regional security against the persistent drone threats. Romanian law permits shooting down drones over national territory in peacetime if threats to life or property emerge, though this measure has not yet been exercised.
This episode highlights the increasing challenges NATO faces in protecting alliance airspace from low-cost, deep-penetrating drone incursions used by Russia as tactical probes and strategic pressure points along the eastern flank.
