Romanian Air Force shoots down new drone entering national airspace
Romanian Air Force aircraft shoots down third drone to enter national airspace this week, near the border with Ukraine.
Newsroom, 26.07.2026, 11:38
Romanian President Nicușor Dan said this morning that a new drone was shot down by an F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force over Romania’s territorial waters, in the Sulina-Chilia area in the Danube Delta, near the border with Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russian troops. This is the third drone shot down this week, following incidents on Friday and Saturday in Buzău County and the Danube Delta. The president said the drone intercepted on Friday was of Russian origin and added that Romania is preparing an official note of protest to the Russian Federation.
“Our pilots have shot down a third drone that entered Romanian airspace! This morning, at 10:13, a Romanian pilot flying a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down a third drone entering Romania’s airspace. The drone was shot down over the Black Sea,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
President Nicușor Dan congratulated the pilots who carried out the missions in the past three days: “I’d like to congratulate the Romanian pilots and ground crews for the professionalism, courage and efficacy shown in fulfilling their missions. Through their actions, they contribute to the defence of the national territory and the safety of Romanian citizens.”
The president criticised Moscow for its continued violation of Romanian airspace: “According to the investigation conducted by the Prosecutor General’s Office, the drone shot down on Friday morning is the Shahed model used by the Russian Federation in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Investigations regarding the drones shot down yesterday and today are ongoing. Romania’s diplomatic note of protest to the Russian Federation will be based on these findings. It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which is also NATO and European Union airspace. Such actions are unacceptable, and we are treating them with utmost seriousness, as do our allies.”
