«NATO is not waiting, we are acting,» the alliance’s top general said on Friday, after Russian drones crossed into NATO airspace.
Russian drone activity spilling into NATO territory is «unacceptable and reckless», Romania’s foreign minister has said, after authorities in the country said one of Moscow’s uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) violated its airspace.
«Romania condemns Russia’s behavior and takes the necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security», Oana Toiu said in a statement published on social media late on Saturday.Why It Matters
On Wednesday, Poland said its military, supported by other NATO countries, had shot down three of the nearly 20 Russian drones that crossed over into its airspace. Moscow denied it had targeted the NATO country.
Russian drones have crossed into NATO territory a number of times since the start of full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022. The drones straying into NATO territory had not been deemed intentional attacks, but the incidents stoke the fire of tensions between the alliance and the Kremlin, at its worst point in decades.What To Know
Two F-16 fighter jets tracked a Russian drone close to the Danube River until it left Romanian airspace «without causing any damage or casualties» nearly an hour later, Toiu said.
Romania’s Defense Ministry said the aircraft had detected the drone at 6:23 p.m. local time and tracked it to roughly 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the village of Chilia Veche, which sits directly across the river from Ukraine. The drone then disappeared from the country’s radar, Bucharest said.
The Danube River marks the border between Romania and southwestern Ukraine, which frequently comes under Russian attack.
