Romanian Airspace Violated: Drone Shot Down by Spanish NATO Fighter Jet

A drone that entered Romanian airspace near the borders with Ukraine and Moldova was shot down by a Spanish fighter jet operating on a mission within the NATO country, the Romanian Defense Ministry announced. The drone, which had entered from Moldova, was intercepted by an F-18 aircraft.

The ministry indicated that debris might have fallen in an uninhabited area of the Galati region, close to the Ukrainian border. Romania, with its 19 million inhabitants, has become one of the NATO members most exposed to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. This incident is part of a series of events affecting Romania since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

Since 2023, Romanian authorities have repeatedly reported finding drone fragments on their territory following Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube River, which are situated near the Romanian border. Last month, Romania shot down a drone for the first time since the start of the 2022 Russian invasion after the aircraft entered national airspace approximately 100 kilometers from Bucharest.

The eastern part of the country, facing the Black Sea, is particularly vulnerable due to its proximity to Ukrainian areas frequently targeted by Russian raids. Similar incidents have also occurred in other Eastern flank NATO countries, including Poland and the Baltic states. On Friday, Italian fighter jets on a NATO air surveillance mission shot down a drone that had entered Latvia's airspace.

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A drone that entered Romanian airspace near the borders with Ukraine and Moldova was shot down by a Spanish fighter jet in mission in the NATO country.