Romanian F-16 shoots down third drone in three consecutive days
On July 26, a Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft shot down a drone that had entered the national airspace without authorisation, Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said on its website.
The drone was safely shot down 12 km northeast of Sulina, within Romania’s territorial waters, the ministry said.
This was the third incident in three consecutive days in which a Romanian F-16 shot down a drone.
On July 25, the radar surveillance systems of the Romanian Ministry of National Defence detected an unauthorised penetration of the national airspace by a drone operating in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border.
Two Romanian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting Air Policing Service intercepted the aerial target and carried out the standard identification and neutralization procedures, the ministry said.
It said that the drone was safely shot down in an unpopulated area near the border.
On July 25, a Romanian Air Force F-16, while conducting an air policing mission to monitor and track an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had violated national airspace, engaged the target with an air-to-air missile and neutralised it over an unpopulated area in the vicinity of Padina, Buzău County, the defence ministry said.
On July 26, in a message on X, Romanian President Nicușor Dan said: “According to the investigation conducted by the General Prosecutor’s Office, the drone shot down on Friday morning is of the Shahed type, used by the Russian Federation in the war of aggression against Ukraine”.
“Investigations into the drones shot down yesterday and today are ongoing,” Dan said, adding that Romania’s diplomatic protest against the Russian Federation will be based on these investigations.
“It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which is, at the same time, Nato airspace and European Union airspace. Such actions are unacceptable, and we treat them with the utmost seriousness, alongside our allies,” he said.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said on X on July 26: “Another Russian drone downed over Romania today. We condemn Russia’s systematic violations of Romanian airspace — Nato and EU airspace. We commend the skill and courage of Romania’s Air Force. Romania’s security is Moldova’s security. We stand with Romania”.
On July 25, European Council President António Costa said: “For the second time in 24 hours, Romanian airspace has been violated by drone incursions.
“I commend the Romanian authorities for their swift and effective response. We stand in full solidarity with Romania and its people. The security of Romania is the security of Europe. We will continue to strengthen the EU’s security, resilience and deterrence, including along our Eastern border,” Costa said.
(Photo: Romanian Ministry of National Defence)
