Romania summons Russian envoy after F-16 shoots down third drone in three days
Romania has formally summoned the Russian ambassador following the interception of a third drone in as many days, escalating tensions over the spillover of the Ukraine conflict into NATO airspace.
Romania has summoned Russia’s ambassador after its air force shot down a third intruding drone in three consecutive days, citing repeated violations of its sovereign airspace. The latest incident occurred on Sunday morning when an F-16 fighter jet intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aircraft over the Black Sea, following similar interceptions on Friday and Saturday.
Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed the diplomatic summons on social media, stating that Bucharest was lodging a formal complaint regarding the “repeated violations” of airspace that is also part of NATO and the European Union. President Nicusor Dan added that an investigation into the first interception on Friday identified the drone as a “Shahed model,” a type used by the Russian Federation in its war against Ukraine.
The persistent entry of Russian drones into Eastern European airspace is widely interpreted as an attempt to test the defences and reaction times of NATO and the EU. US Army Colonel Martin O’Donnell, a senior NATO military spokesperson, described the incursions as “unacceptable and intolerable,” noting that allied nations are actively acquiring ground-based interceptors to enhance air defence capabilities.
NATO leadership has issued stark warnings regarding the escalation. Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Moscow’s “reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,” while US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker pledged that the alliance would “defend every inch” of its territory. These concerns are heightened by recent history, including a drone strike on a residential building in Galati in late May and an explosion in Constanta port last month.
The incident coincides with continued heavy bombardment between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Ballistic missiles struck Kyiv and other cities overnight on Sunday, killing two people and wounding at least three. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the strikes targeted sites linked to drone production, while Ukrainian drone strikes in the Russian-occupied city of Horlivka reportedly killed four civilians.
