The shield in Deveselu, 9 years on
The Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States is working flawlessly, despite fake news circulated into public space
Bogdan Matei, 26.05.2025, 13:50
The United States Embassy in Bucharest marked the 9th anniversary of the anti-ballistic facility in Deveselu, southern Romania. In a post on social media, the diplomatic mission emphasized that the elements of the defense system represent an important stage in the Strategic Partnership between the United States of America and Romania. The Embassy recalls that this state-of-the-art system plays a vital role in NATO’s missile defense architecture and that, since it was rendered operational, it has increased security and deterrence capacity on NATO’s eastern flank. The embassy adds that cooperation between American and Romanian forces in Deveselu proves the strength of the Alliance, as well as the common commitment towards regional stability.
The message was meant to dispel the anxieties fueled by disinformation circulated in public space regarding a possible military disengagement of the United States from Europe, including Romania, which was allegedly decided by the new Republican administration in Washington. The most recent such sample, distributed on TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, refers specifically to the so-called official “decisions” announced by the US administration regarding the complete withdrawal of American soldiers deployed in Romania, including the withdrawal of the Aegis Ashore anti-missile system. This information is false and has no real basis, the Romanian Defense Ministry stated. According to the source, the American soldiers deployed in Romania, who are part of the measures to consolidate NATO’s eastern flank, based on the strategic partnership between the United States and Romania, are carrying out their activity as planned. The Aegis Ashore anti-missile system from Deveselu is also operating within normal parameters, as part of the North Atlantic Alliance’s anti-ballistic shield.
An analysis of the information sphere concludes that disinformation actions of this kind will continue in the immediate future, targeting national security and defense topics, the Ministry warns. The Ministry also dismantled another disinformation narrative circulated into public space. An article mimicking a Ministry press release announced the restriction of the movement of male citizens aged 18-65, as a result of the establishment of the state of mobilization in Romania. “We firmly deny the authenticity of this document, which contains false and alarmist information, designed to create panic and confusion among the population”, the Defense Ministry said, adding that this narrative is but the latest in a series of actions intended to fuel fears generated by Russia’s ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine. The Defense Ministry announced it will promptly notify the judicial authorities, based on the Criminal Code, regarding the dissemination of false information, a crime punishable by imprisonment from one to five years. (VP)
