Romania summons Russian ambassador, expels diplomat, over drone incidents
Romania summoned the Russian ambassador, expelled a Russian diplomat and recalled its own ambassador from Moscow over recent drone incidents, the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest said on X on July 27.
This follows a spate of incidents in recent days involving Romania shooting down drones in its airspace, and most recently, on July 27 scrambling two of its F-16 fighter jets after a drone entered its airspace before passing into Ukraine.
Romania’s Foreign Ministry said that summoning came as a firm response to the repeated violations of Romania’s airspace between July 24 and 26 2026, during which the Romanian Armed Forces downed three drones that entered national territory without authorisation.
The Russian diplomat was presented with fragments of a drone destroyed on Romanian territory, components which official prosecutor investigations have confirmed to be of Russian origin, the ministry said.
During the meeting, the Romanian side expressed its firm protest against these illegal and irresponsible actions and emphasized the clear attribution of responsibility, the Foreign Ministry said.
“It was stressed that it is absolutely inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which also constitutes Nato and European Union airspace,” the ministry said.
“The Romanian side highlighted that the Russian Federation bears exclusive responsibility for all these grave incidents and for the deterioration of the regional security environment.”
During the meeting, an official Note Verbale was handed to the Russian ambassador, notifying the decision to declare a member of the mission of the Russian Federation in Bucharest undesirable, requiring them to leave Romanian territory within five days.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled Romania’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation to Bucharest for consultations.
“Romania will continue to coordinate its response closely with its NATO and EU Allies and partners, remaining firmly committed to adopting all necessary measures to protect national security and its citizens.”
Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said on X: “Today at [the Romanian Foreign Ministry] the Russian side learned what they already knew: the drones downed on Romanian territory belong to them”.
Drone fragments recovered by the Ministry of National Defence and the ongoing prosecutor investigation confirm their Russian origin beyond any doubt, Țoiu said.
(Photo: Romanian Foreign Ministry)
