In the wee hours, Russia's drone attacks on Ukraine invaded NATO's airspace over Romania, provoking alarm launches from German Eurofighters. Russian aircraft were identified by the German squadrons, including visual confirmation, without NATO ordering a shoot-down.
Approximately 70 Russian drones of the Shahed 136 type were catalogued during the Ukraine attack wave. One of these, as preliminary findings suggest, detonated over Romanian airspace.
The attack was noticed from 9.42 p.m. German time, prompting a multinational command post for NATO air force command and control ("Combined Air Operations Center"). The "Alpha Scramble" order was given at 10.02 p.m., and armed fighter jets took flight at 10.11 p.m. The occurrence is deemed significant.
According to the Ukrainian air force, 41 of 42 Russian combat drones were shot down during the night, with most falling over the Odessa region neighboring Romania. The Romanian Ministry of Defense reported a 1.5-meter deep crater bombing in the Danube delta near the Romanian village of Grindu, 6.5 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The possibility of a Russian drone being responsible was described as, "plausible."
Romanian airspace has been routinely violated in various incidents, connected to Russian attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports. However, a meticulous analysis determined that these violations were not intentional on Russia's part.
Additional Insights (Enrichment Data)
The Russian drone assaults on Ukraine that breached NATO airspace over Romania had noteworthy consequences:
- Airspace Breaches:
- Romania: On September 8, 2023, Romania accused Russia of violating its airspace with military drones. The drone briefly entered Romanian airspace and headed towards Ukraine before two Romanian fighter jets were scrambled to track it. A search was conducted in the area around the village of Periprava on the Ukrainian border, where it was suspected the drone may have crashed[1].
- Latvia: Latvia also reported a Russian military drone violating its airspace and crashing on its territory on September 7, 2023. The drone flew into Latvia from Belarus and crashed in the municipality of Rezekne[1].
- Moldova Incidents:
- Drone Crashes: On February 13, 2025, two Russian drones crashed in Moldova, breaching the country's airspace. Neither drone caused any casualties, but they exploded upon impact. Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the incident, stating the drones were Iranian-designed Shahed unmanned aircraft used by Russia in its war on Ukraine[2][5].
- Investigations: Moldovan authorities summoned the Russian ambassador to request official explanations and protest the actions. The drones were thoroughly examined by technical-explosive section experts of the Police[2].
- Alerts and Military Response:
- Romania: When a Russian drone briefly entered Romanian airspace on February 13, 2025, a RO-Alert message was issued, and two F-16s from Romania and two Eurofighters from Spain took off to intercept the drone. Although the drone may have crashed 10 km from Galați, no material damage was reported. The area was searched by military personnel and ISU crews[3][4].
- NATO Response: The incidents underscored the growing risks to regional stability, leading NATO to summon an emergency meeting and direct Romania to inform NATO ally structures in real-time about the situations resulting from the attacks[3][4].
- Impact:
- Escalating Tensions: The repeated airspace violations by Russian drones have heightened tensions between Russia and NATO member states. This has led to increased military preparedness and cooperation among NATO allies[1][2].
- Regional Stability: The incidents have highlighted the severity of regional stability risks, with Moldova responding by announcing it would close the Russian Cultural Centre and present drone fragments to the Russian diplomat as evidence of the violations[2][5].
As the conflicts in Ukraine escalated, Germany deployed Eurofighter jets to Romania to bolster NATO's air defense efforts. German officials suspect Russian drones are conducting reconnaissance and potential bombing operations in and around Ukraine, posing a threat to NATO airspace. Berlins defense minister noted the German fighter jets' intervention in Romania as evidence of NATO's solidarity and commitment to maintaining peace and security in Europe. The Shahed 136 drone, a frequent Iranian and Russian tool, was spotted over Romania's border with Ukraine, raising concerns among European leaders about potential Russian aggression. In a press conference, the German Minister of Defense reported the downing of multiple Russian combat drones in Ukrainian airspace, emphasizing the importance of close coordination between NATO member states and their air forces. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to rise, prompting neighboring countries like Romania to enhance their air defense capabilities, depending on NATO's support to safeguard their borders from potential drone assaults. NATO officials in Brussels are investigating the incidents, looking for signs of intentional or unintentional border violations by Russian drones.
