Romanian authorities confirmed Saturday that a Russian drone had entered the country’s airspace, an incident detected by its air force while monitoring Russian military activity near the Ukrainian border. Romania is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
According to a statement from Romania’s Ministry of National Defence, two F-16 aircraft were deployed shortly after 6 p.m. local time. Their mission was to observe Russian airstrikes targeting infrastructure in Ukraine, in proximity to the Romanian frontier. Approximately 20 minutes following their deployment, the aircraft identified the drone operating within Romanian airspace.
Oana-Silvia Toiu, Romania’s Foreign Minister, stated via social media that the Romanian Air Force tracked the Russian drone for a duration of 50 minutes before it exited the country’s airspace. The Ministry of Defence further indicated that the drone’s presence did not result in any damage or casualties, nor did it traverse populated areas or pose an imminent threat to public safety.
The detection occurred days after Western officials had voiced condemnation regarding a prior incursion of Russian drones into Poland, which they characterized as an escalation of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Source: www.nytimes.com