Romania shoots down second drone in two days after fresh airspace breach

Romania shot down a second drone that violated its airspace in as many days on Saturday, escalating concerns over repeated incursions along NATO’s eastern flank as fighting intensifies near Ukraine’s border.

President Nicusor Dan said the drone was intercepted at 8:30 a.m. local time, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) west of Sfantu Gheorghe in the Danube Delta.

Romania’s Defence Ministry said radar detected the aircraft minutes earlier, prompting the scramble of two F-16 fighter jets before the drone was brought down.

Authorities did not immediately identify the drone’s origin. However, prosecutors said the drone shot down on Friday was Russian, marking the first time Romania had destroyed an aircraft violating its airspace after years of repeated incursions.

Border tensions intensify

Romania, which shares a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Ukraine, says Russian drones have entered its airspace around 30 times since Moscow began targeting Ukrainian ports along the Danube following its full-scale invasion in 2022.