NATO on Edge as Russian Drones Breach Romanian Airspace
Romania has become the second NATO country in just a matter of days to report that a Russian drone has crossed into its airspace. The incident happened as Romanian F-16 fighter jets were already in the air, keeping watch over the border during Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure near the Danube. According to Romania’s defense ministry, the drone was tracked about 20 kilometers southwest of the village of Chilia Veche before it disappeared from radar. Importantly, officials noted that it did not pass over populated areas, nor did it pose an immediate danger.
This follows closely on Poland’s announcement last week that at least three Russian drones had been shot down after entering its skies. The Polish government said that nearly 19 drones may have crossed its border that night, calling it the most serious incursion since the Second World War. In fact, Poland’s foreign minister suggested that these drones were not armed but deliberately sent as a test, a way for the Kremlin to gauge NATO’s reaction without fully provoking war.
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Romania, however, took the violation seriously. The Russian ambassador in Bucharest was summoned, and a strong protest was delivered against what was described as an “unacceptable” act. The European Union’s foreign policy chief echoed that stance, calling the incident a breach of sovereignty that threatens wider European security. Although Romanian pilots were legally authorized under new rules to shoot the drone down, they chose not to, citing the risk of collateral damage. That decision has sparked debate inside Romania, with critics asking why the drone was not destroyed.
The aircraft itself was identified as a Geran—Russia’s version of the Iranian-designed Shahed 136 drone, which has been widely used both for surveillance and to strike targets in Ukraine. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, insisted this was no accident. He called it a deliberate expansion of Russia’s war beyond Ukrainian borders, warning that Moscow knows exactly where its drones are sent.
Meanwhile, Russia has not commented on either Romania’s or Poland’s claims. But tensions are undeniably rising. NATO allies have already increased patrols, while Poland placed its ground-based defenses on high alert. Czech helicopters were even dispatched to Poland to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank.
This all comes against a backdrop of escalating drone warfare. Ukraine itself has carried out strikes deep into Russian territory, including one on a major oil refinery near St. Petersburg. In response, Russian officials said air defenses intercepted several drones, but debris caused significant fires.
The bigger picture is clear: these drone incursions are no longer isolated incidents. They are testing the limits of NATO’s patience, pushing the boundaries of how far Russia can go without triggering a collective response. And as European leaders have warned, repeated breaches of airspace—whether accidental or deliberate—risk drawing the alliance closer to direct confrontation with Moscow.
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