Romanian Air Force Detects Russian Drone in National Airspace
Romania’s Ministry of Defense reported on Saturday that its air force detected a Russian drone within the country’s national airspace. The incident occurred as Romanian F-16 aircraft were monitoring Russian airstrikes targeting infrastructure in Ukraine, in proximity to the Romanian border.
According to a statement from the NATO member’s defense ministry, two F-16 fighter jets were deployed shortly after 6 p.m. local time for a monitoring mission. Approximately 20 minutes later, the aircraft identified the drone operating within Romanian airspace. The Romanian Foreign Minister, Oana-Silvia Toiu, later stated via social media that the drone was tracked by the Romanian Air Force for 50 minutes before it exited the airspace, without causing any reported damage or casualties.
The Ministry of Defense further clarified that the drone’s trajectory did not include populated areas, and it did not pose an immediate threat to public safety. Foreign Minister Toiu described the incursion as “unacceptable and reckless.”
This event follows days after Western officials expressed condemnation regarding previous incursions of Russian drones into Polish territory, which they characterized as an escalation of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Source: www.nytimes.com