Romania scrambles NATO jets after suspected Russian drone incursion near Ukraine border

NATO fighter jets were scrambled overnight after Russia launched a series of long-range drone strikes targeting Ukraine's southwestern border region near Romania, prompting fresh concerns over a potential violation of NATO airspace.

Romania’s Ministry of National Defence announced on April 28 that four NATO fighter aircraft—two Romanian F-16s and two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons—were dispatched following the detection of hostile aerial activity in the vicinity of the southeastern Tulcea region, per Caliber.Az.

he scramble was triggered by Moscow's drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and port facilities in western Ukraine, notably near the Danube River border.

The Romanian ministry revealed that radar surveillance systems registered the possible intrusion of a Russian drone into Romanian airspace. "Romania's radar surveillance system indicated the possibility that the trajectory of one of the drones involved in the attack crossed the national airspace for a very short time at a distance of up to 500 meters," the ministry said in an official statement. The final radar contact with the drone was recorded while it was still over Ukrainian territory, officials added.

In response, Romanian authorities launched an air alert in the Tulcea region, located across the river from Ukraine’s Izmail port—a frequent target of Russian drone assaults. The Danube River forms the natural boundary between the two countries.

The Romanian Defence Ministry confirmed that its forces will continue conducting on-ground surveys throughout Tuesday to identify any potential drone debris and will maintain heightened airspace surveillance operations. The ministry strongly condemned the drone strikes, labelling them as "unjustified" and in direct violation of international legal norms.

This incident follows a series of past events in which wreckage from Russian drones used in attacks against Ukraine’s southern regions was discovered on the Romanian side of the Danube, intensifying regional security concerns.

The Romanian government has recently taken legislative steps to address such aerial threats more decisively. In late October 2024, the Defence Ministry put forward a draft law aimed at tightening control over national airspace, particularly in relation to drones and other unidentified aerial vehicles. By December, the legislation had been approved, granting Romanian forces legal authority to shoot down drones that violate the country’s airspace.

By Tamilla Hasanova