Russian drone debris found deep inside Romania after overnight airspace violation

Romania’s Defence Minister Ionuț Moșteanu confirmed on November 25 that fragments of a Russian drone were discovered in Vaslui County, far from the Ukrainian border, following overnight airspace violations that triggered RO-Alert warnings across the country.

Moșteanu, speaking from the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base where he was visiting US troops for Thanksgiving alongside US General Christopher Donahue, said the drone found in eastern Romania was “most likely” the same UAV that entered Romanian airspace earlier in the day. He emphasised that this latest incident represents “a new challenge from Russia," Caliber.Az reports via Romanian media. 

According to preliminary assessments, the drone carried no explosive charge. Romanian and German fighter pilots scrambled overnight were authorised to engage the aircraft but ultimately chose not to fire due to the risk of collateral damage, Moșteanu said. He added that Romania will soon enhance its air-defence capabilities to better respond to such incursions.

The debris was located in the village of Puiești, Vaslui County—around 50 kilometres from the Moldovan border and more than 100 kilometres from the Moldova–Ukraine boundary. Vaslui Prefect Eduard Popiță said police were alerted by a local resident who reported hearing a growing engine noise followed by a loud impact behind his house, where the UAV was found shattered. Images circulating in local media show wreckage resembling a Russian “Geran”-type drone.

Earlier the same morning, both Romania and Moldova confirmed that Russian drones had violated their airspace. Moldovan authorities reported detecting six UAVs, one of which crashed onto the roof of a building in a rural area. The Russian ambassador in Chișinău has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response.

By Sabina Mammadli