Russian Drones Invade NATO Airspace Over Romania
In a striking turn of events, Russian drones infiltrated Romania's airspace, triggering an alert launch for German Eurofighters part of NATO's southeastern flank security force. Despite identification, NATO did not issue orders to engage, likely to prevent further escalations.
On Thursday night, Russian drone assaults on Ukraine transgressed NATO airspace over Romania. German crewssuccessfully tracked and identified the drones, including visual confirmation, but no order to engage was issued. Records show approximately 70 Russian Shahed 136-type drones were engaged during the attacks, with one drone exploding in Romanian airspace.
Identification of the incursion started at 9:42 PM German time, with the incident prompting an "Alpha Scramble" order at 10:02 PM, and fighter jets in the sky by 10:11 PM. Reported as significant, the event highlights the heightened tension in the region, positioning Romania as a potential battleground for future clashes.
Ukrainian air force data shows 41 of 42 Russian combat drones were downed during the night, most of which happened over the Odessa region, sharing a border with Romania. A bomb crater measuring 1.5 meters deep was discovered near the Romanian village of Grindu, close to the Ukrainian border, with authorities describing the incident as "possible" involving a Russian drone.
Securing NATO's southeastern flank, the air force is positioned with four fighter aircraft and armed protection flights by the Romanian military airfield Mihail Kogalniceanu. Recent incursions into Romania's airspace have been linked to Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube, with investigations suggesting they were not intentional.
Relevant Enrichment Insights:
- Romanian authorities approved legislation that allows shooting down unauthorized drones and missiles that intrude the country's airspace. This measure expands airspace control measures and becomes a capability that was previously limited during the absence of a state of war.
- Romania approached NATO requesting a coordinated response to Russian incursions, aiming to strengthen airspace security and potentially receive support from NATO forces in line with collective defense agreements.
- Romania demonstrated readiness to respond to threats by deploying F-16 fighter jets in January, ensuring airspace security in the event of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine.
