Romania Reports Russian Drone Incursion: Second NATO Country to Issue Alarm

Wed Oct 22 2025 21:58:32 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Romania's defense ministry confirmed a Russian drone was detected within its airspace amid heightened tensions following Russian military actions near Ukraine's borders.

In a significant escalation of tensions in Eastern Europe, Romania has reported an incursion of a Russian drone into its airspace, making it the second NATO country to do so after Poland. The Romanian Air Force detected the drone while monitoring Russian attacks in Ukraine, leading to concerns about security and sovereignty in the region. Ukrainian President Zelensky characterized the incident as an "obvious expansion of the war by Russia," while other NATO nations are ramping up their air defenses in response.

Romania says a Russian drone has breached its airspace - the second NATO country to report such an incursion.

Romanian fighter jets were in the air monitoring a Russian attack in Ukraine on Saturday and were able to track the drone near Ukraine's southern border, the defense ministry said in a statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the incursion could not be a mistake - it was an obvious expansion of the war by Russia. Moscow has not commented on the Romanian claims.

On Wednesday, Poland said it had shot down at least three Russian drones which had entered its airspace.

In its statement, Romania's defense ministry said it detected the Russian drone when two F-16 jets were monitoring the country's border with Ukraine, after Russian air attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure on the Danube.

The drone was detected 20km (12.4 miles) south-west of the village of Chilia Veche, before disappearing from the radar.

But it did not fly over populated areas or pose imminent danger, the ministry said.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called the incident yet another unacceptable breach of an EU member state's sovereignty.

Poland also responded to concerns over Russian drones on Saturday.

Preventative operations of aviation - Polish and allied - have begun in our airspace, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a post on X.

Earlier this week Russia's defense ministry said there had been no plans to target facilities on Polish soil.

Belarus, a close Russian ally, said the drones which entered Polish airspace on Wednesday were an accident, after their navigation systems were jammed.

In response to the latest drone incursion, President Zelensky said the Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air. He has consistently asked Western countries to tighten sanctions on Moscow.

US President Donald Trump has also expressed readiness to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, contingent upon NATO countries taking specific actions, like ceasing oil purchases from Russia.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been making slow progress in the battlefield.