Journalism of Courage
Romania, a member of Western military alliance NATO, scrambled fighter jets on Saturday after it reported a drone incursion into its airspace during a Russian attack on neighbouring Ukrainian infrastructure, the defence ministry said.
Romania became the latest NATO member to report drone incursion after Poland shot down Russian drones that entered its airspace on Wednesday.
Informing about the drone incursion in the country’s territory, Romania’s Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu said the air force intercepted a Russian drone violating the national airspace and two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from the air base as it was flying very low but it disappeared near Chilia Veche. He added that the Romanian population was “never in danger”.
Criticizing Moscow’s drone incursion, Defence Minister Mosteanu wrote on X, “Romania condemns Russia’s reckless behavior, which threatens regional stability. Together with our NATO Allies, we remain vigilant and ready to defend every inch of Allied airspace.”
Due to the threat of drone strikes, Poland also deployed aircrafts and shut down one of its airports in the eastern city of Lublin on Saturday. The development comes three days after Warsaw shot down Russian drones which entered its national airspace with support from the aircrafts of its NATO allies.
Romania, which is a member of European Union and NATO, shares a 650 kilometers border with Ukraine and has witnessed several Russian drone fragments fall onto its territory repeatedly since Moscow invaded Kyiv in February 2022.
On Saturday, Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and later two Eurofighters – part of German air policing missions in Romania amid Russian drone incursion into its national airspace and issued warning to its citizens in the southeastern county of Tulcea near the Danube and its Ukrainian border to take cover, the defence ministry said, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the West that Russia was deliberately expanding its drone operations and Western nations need to respond with tough sanctions and closer defence cooperation.
“The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air,” Zelenskyy said.
(with inputs from Reuters)
