Romanian jet blasts drone near offshore gas platform, president blames Moscow
"This is hybrid warfare," European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says.
On a morning in the Black Sea, a Romanian F-16 fighter jet destroyed an unmanned maritime drone near the Neptun Deep gas platform. President Nicușor Dan of Romania immediately blamed Russia for the incident, accusing Moscow of endangering "critical infrastructure" and people working at the platform. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță later confirmed that the drone was not of Ukrainian origin after consulting with the president.
European Commission President Von der Leyen also condemned the incident, emphasizing the escalation of threats and the division it causes within the European Union. She highlighted the European Drone Defence Initiative and the Eastern Flank Watch, which aim to enhance Europe's response to emerging threats.
Neptun Deep, Romania's largest natural gas development project, is located in the Black Sea and is set to become the EU's largest natural gas producer once operational. The incident has raised concerns among NATO allies about the protection of critical infrastructure from Russian drone attacks. The Russian embassy in Romania has not yet commented on the matter.
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