Romania issues air-raid alert as Russia attacks Ukraine

Romania briefly went on air-raid alert after radar detected a group of airborne objects moving toward its border with Ukraine late on Sept. 5, as Russia attacked Ukraine.

The Romanian Defense Ministry said its radar surveillance system spotted the objects at 11:40 p.m. Air-defense systems went on combat readiness, while two Spanish Air and Space Force F-18 fighters and a Romanian IAR 330 Puma SOCAT helicopter prepared for an emergency takeoff.

The National Military Command Center notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, which activated public-warning measures in northern Tulcea county. A warning was sent through the national RO-Alert system at 12:10 a.m.

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On Saturday, September 5, at 11:40 p.m., the Defense Ministry’s radar surveillance system detected a group of objects moving toward the border with Ukraine along the river.

The air-raid alert was lifted at 12:42 a.m. after authorities found no violations of Romanian airspace. Ukrinform reported that Ukrainian air-defense forces had neutralized 82 unmanned aircraft and six S8000 Banderol systems used by Russian forces to attack Ukraine during the night of Sept. 6.

Turkey’s air force also deployed two F-16 fighters and support aircraft in Romanian airspace as part of NATO’s integrated air and missile defense activity.

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Two F-18 fighters from the Spanish Air and Space Force and a Romanian Air Force IAR 330 Puma SOCAT helicopter were ready to take off urgently.