Romanian authorities detect two air targets near border and issue Tulcea alert

Two air targets detected over Ukrainian territory near Romania prompted an overnight public warning in northeastern Tulcea County, although Romanian airspace was not breached.

Romania’s Defence Ministry said radar systems identified the targets at 11:30 p.m., around 24 kilometers northeast of Vylkove. The National Military Command Center informed the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, which issued a Ro-Alert message at 11:56 p.m.

Two F-18 aircraft operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force took off from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base at 11:43 p.m. as part of an enhanced air-policing mission. Romania’s Air Force also deployed an IAR-330 PUMA SOCAT helicopter, which took off shortly after midnight.

Pilots reported explosions on Ukrainian territory near the monitored area. The Defence Ministry said, however, that no aircraft or other aerial objects had entered Romania’s national airspace. The air alert was lifted at 1:15 a.m., after the situation returned to normal, while authorities continued monitoring the border area.