Romanian Air Force shoots down three drones in three consecutive days

A Romanian F-16 aircraft shot down a drone on Sunday, July 26. It was the third time that this happened in three consecutive days, after similar incidents on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. 

The drone was shot down at 10:13 AM, July 26, above Romania’s territorial waters, in the Sulina–Chilia area, according to Romanian president Nicusor Dan.

The president’s announcement came about half an hour after the drone was shot down. “I congratulate the Romanian pilots and the ground crews for the professionalism, courage, and efficiency with which they carry out their missions. Through their actions, they contribute to the defense of the national territory and the safety of Romanian citizens,” he stated on Facebook.

Dan specified that the first drone shot down on Friday was a Shahed model used by the Russian military and said that Romania will initiate a diplomatic protest against Russia.

“According to the investigation carried out by the General Prosecutor’s Office, the drone shot down on Friday morning is a Shahed type, used by the Russian Federation in its war of aggression against Ukraine. The investigations into the drones shot down yesterday and today are ongoing. Romania’s diplomatic protest against the Russian Federation will be based on these investigations. It is unacceptable and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which is at the same time NATO and European Union airspace,” he added.

The drone was neutralized “under safe conditions,” at a distance of approximately 12 kilometers northeast of Sulina, above Romania’s territorial waters, the Ministry of Defence also said in its press release. The institution noted that “four of the five drones shot down so far on the territory of EU countries in NATO have been neutralized by Romanian military pilots.” Back in May, a Romanian F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet deployed as part of NATO’s enhanced air policing mission in the Baltic region shot down a drone in Estonian airspace.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, more than 100 attacks have been recorded on Ukrainian territory near the border with Romania. During the same period, 33 incursions of Russian drones into Romania’s airspace were recorded. Authorities have also identified drone fragments or entire drones on Romanian territory in approximately 50 cases.

The most recent incursion sparked reactions from the Romanian government, which has upped spending on defense in recent years. Interim PM Ilie Bolojan condemned the drone incursion, emphasizing that the incidents of recent days are the consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Interim foreign minister Oana Ţoiu, in turn, announced that the Russian ambassador to Bucharest had been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the repeated violations of Romania’s airspace by the Russian Federation.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Ministerul Apararii Nationale, Romania - www.mapn.ro) ...