Romania scrambles F-16s after aerial target enters national airspace

Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said its radar surveillance system detected five aerial targets near Ukraine’s Izmail area early on August 13, close to the river border with Romania.

The targets were detected at 1:27 a.m. over Ukrainian territory. The National Military Command Center notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, and a RO-Alert warning was issued to residents in northern Tulcea County at 1:30 a.m.

Two Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft from the 86th Air Base in Borcea were scrambled to monitor the situation.

Romanian ground radars subsequently detected an aerial target entering national airspace approximately 2 kilometres south of Pardina. The target remained in Romanian airspace for about 10 minutes, moving along the Chilia branch, before leaving Romanian territory towards Ukraine approximately 13 kilometres southwest of Chilia Veche.

Shortly after the target flew over Romanian airspace, explosions were reported on Ukrainian territory.

The air alert for northern Tulcea County ended at 2:42 a.m.

Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said it was continuing to monitor the situation and informing Allied structures in real time about such events.

By Aghakazim Guliyev