A Romanian jet shot down a suspected Russian drone Friday after it entered the airspace of the NATO nation.
The incident, involving a Romanian F-16 fighter, marked the first time a NATO member has downed a drone after multiple airspace incursions by Russia in its war with Ukraine, according to Reuters.
Romanian Chief of Staff General Gheorghita Vlad said the drone appeared to be an Iran-designed weapon called a Shahed, which Russia uses in its attacks against Ukraine.
“Visually, the pilots reported the drone looked to be a Shahed type,” he said.
European airspace has once again been violated by a drone incursion.
I commend the Romanian military for their swift and effective response, safeguarding our shared security.
Strengthening defence and deterrence along our Eastern border remains a top priority.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 24, 2026
“There is an ongoing investigation to determine the origin of the drone. But in this part of the world it is Russia that is the attacker,” an army source said.
President Nicusor Dan said the incident took place at about 11 a.m. Friday.
“The area was uninhabited, so the pilot was able to shoot without any risk. Currently, teams of the relevant institutions are investigating the area to come up with all the details about the incident,” Dan wrote.
The Romanian Defense Ministry said two F-16s and two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons based in Romania were sent aloft after the drone was detected.
“Our borders and our sovereignty are non-negotiable, and our military and NATO air police will continue to monitor the land border, the Danube and the Black Sea, as our military frequently identifies risks,” Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said, according to Fox News.
“The impact area and the drone debris are currently being analyzed, but the pattern is consistent with prior confirmed Russian drone flights during the numerous illegal attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on Romania’s border,” she added.
Țoiu said Romania and NATO will defend their territory.
“NATO works, and we plan to be even stronger with the decisions on air defense and budget allocation from The Hague and Ankara summits,” she said.
“The path toward increased security is the path toward peace at Romania’s border. We will defend our citizens and we will continue to invest in protecting Romanian and Allied territory,” she said.
Full solidarity and support to Romania following the drone explosion in the port of Constanta this morning.
This is the third significant security incident in Romania in recent weeks. These incidents are a direct consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The…
— António Costa (@eucopresident) June 5, 2026
Romania has reported multiple airspace breaches by Russia since it began its attempt to conquer Ukraine in 2022, according to the New York Post.
In May, two people were injured in the Romanian town of Galati, which is near the Ukrainian border, when an errant drone struck an apartment building.
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