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A Romanian fighter jet shot down a drone that entered the country’s airspace Friday, marking the first time the NATO state has done so.
The drone was detected through a radar surveillance system while it was traveling 20 km east of Sulina, a town bordering the Black Sea, which also borders Russia and Ukraine.
The Romanian army’s chief of staff, Gen. Gheorghita Vlad, said at a news conference that Romania had not yet identified the origin or purpose of the drone but that it appeared to be an Iran-designed attack drone used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.
An army source revealed to Reuters, “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.”
Officials sent two Romanian F-16s at Fetești Air Base and two Italian Eurofighters at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base to investigate the drone. It was then shot down in Romanian airspace above an unpopulated area in the vicinity of Padina, Buzău County.
“Quickly after, the threat was shot down in Romanian airspace,” NATO wrote in a statement about the incident. “The shootdown comes as NATO, Romania, and other nations actively acquire ground-based interceptors to enhance Allied and national air defence capabilities.”
Romania has a counterdrone system designed to intercept small uncrewed aerial systems like the drone that was shot down.
“The area was uninhabited, so the pilot was able to fire without any risk involved. Currently, teams from institutions with relevant responsibilities are investigating the area to provide all the details about the incident,” Romanian President Nicușor Dan wrote on social platform X.
Romania has been the subject of drone-related incidents since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war with some devices veering into the country’s airspace.
In May, a drone fell onto the roof of a high-rise apartment building in the town of Galați, near the Ukrainian border. It caused an explosion and fire on the ninth floor of the building, forcing residents to evacuate. The building was damaged, but only light injuries were reported.
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