Romania downs second drone after airspace breach

Romania’s air force has shot down a drone that entered its airspace, marking the second such incident in recent days, according to the country’s president.

President Nicușor Dan said the latest incident occurred on July 25 at approximately 9:30 a.m. local time, when an “enemy drone” was intercepted about 10 km west of the city of Sfântu Gheorghe.

“The drone was shot down by a Romanian pilot flying an F-16 fighter jet,” Dan wrote in a post.

The incident follows a similar event on July 24, when Romanian forces used a fighter jet to destroy a drone that had penetrated deep into the country’s territory — the first such interception of its kind.

Romania, a member of both the European Union and NATO and sharing a border with Ukraine, has recorded dozens of drone incursions since the start of the war.

In late May, a drone struck an apartment building in the city of Galați, injuring two people, in what was the first reported strike on a populated area within a NATO country.

NATO and European Union officials condemned that attack. The European Commission said it showed Russia’s war had “crossed yet another line”.

By Tamilla Hasanova