Romania, Moldova detect drone incursions during large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine

A Russian drone breached Romania airspace during a mass missile and drone attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force said Nov. 25.

Romania, a NATO and EU member state bordering Ukraine, said it detected two drone incursions on the morning of Nov. 25.

Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said two German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft were scrambled to intercept the drones around 6:30 a.m. local time in Tulcea County, and two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft took off in another border area in Galați County an hour later. It added that the F-16 aircraft had a radar contact with a drone at around 7:50 a.m. local time.

Romania’s Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu said the fighter jets nearly shot down the drone that kept breaching the Romanian airspace, but concerns over the debris causing damage prevented them from intercepting it, Reuters reported. Mosteanu said that a Russian drone without an explosive device was found in Vaslui County, located about 250-300 kilometers (155-186 miles) from the Ukrainian border in what could be the deepest incursion in Romania.

“We are dealing with a new Russian provocation against Romania, a drone which the Romanian army and German Eurofighters have tried to shoot down,” Reuters quoted Mosteanu as saying.

Moldova’s Defense Ministry also said on Nov. 25 that six drones crossed into its airspace “without authorization” during the Russian large-scale attack.

Moldovan Police said that one of the drones, marked with Z (a symbol used by the Russian military), fell on the guard’s building in a border area near Ukraine, but it appears not to have exploded. It said that the people were evacuated, and an explosive team is working at the site.

This latest drone crossing into a NATO member state, following a series of similar incidents comes as countries near Ukraine, such as Poland, the Baltic states and Romania, heighten security amid fears the war could spill into their territories. Repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure in southern Ukraine near Romania have also kept Bucharest on alert.

The Ukrainian Air Force did not provide further information, including the type of drone and its alleged flight path.

Earlier in September, another Russian drone flew into Romania’s airspace but its aircraft did not shoot it down and it eventually turned back toward Ukraine, Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu told Antena 3 CNN. The drone crossed into Romania during a Russian attack on Ukraine, penetrating about 10 kilometers (six miles) and remaining in NATO airspace for around 50 minutes, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.