Romanian fighter jets shoot down 2 drones over Black Sea

Romanian fighter jets have successfully shot down two drones over the Black Sea, according to the Romanian Defense Ministry. The incident occurred as the drones illegally entered Romanian territorial waters. Defense Minister Radu Miruta announced the event on Facebook, stating that the drones were engaged and shot down within a short span of time.

The exact origin of the drones remains unknown at this time. The first drone was detected at 17:59 (14:59 GMT) and was eliminated two minutes later. The second drone entered Romanian airspace at 6:05 p.m., five minutes after its initial intrusion and was subsequently taken down. Romania's Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu, expressed relief over the safe return of the Black Sea, promising that NATO would discuss the matter at an upcoming meeting.

This drone intrusion is the latest in a series of incidents attributed to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In October, similar drone attacks were reported on ships in the Black Sea off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. Most recently, on Thursday, two chemical tankers anchored near the Sulina Canal, a crucial export route for Ukraine, were attacked, resulting in the disappearance of seven crew members.

Romania, being an EU and NATO member, shares a 614-kilometer (381-mile) border with Ukraine, part of which lies along the Danube River. The country has been actively reporting Russian drone incursions since the 2022 invasion. Romania initiated its drone shooting program earlier this year.