Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed an F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone that breached the country's airspace on Friday.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan confirmed that a Romanian F-16 fighter jet successfully intercepted and destroyed a drone that entered the country’s airspace without authorization. The incident, which occurred over an unpopulated area near the village of Padina, marks the first time the NATO member has destroyed an intruding drone since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. The drone was first detected by radar over the Black Sea before moving toward the port of Sulina and the city of Buzău. Romanian officials suspect the drone originated from Russia, noting that the flight pattern is consistent with previous Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. The interception was carried out by a jet from the 86th air base at Fetești, supported by two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets. The event highlights growing concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine is spilling over into neighboring NATO territory. While this specific strike occurred in an uninhabited area, previous incursions have caused damage to populated regions, including a drone strike in Galați that injured two people.