Bucharest: Romanian Air Force pilots have shot down a third drone that entered Romanian airspace without authorisation.
According to the Ministry of National Defence of Romania, the drone was safely shot down 12 km northeast of Sulina, within Romania's territorial waters.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan congratulated the pilots for their work and called Russia's actions "inadmissible and intolerable" for violating Romania's airspace.
"A new drone was shot down this morning, at 10:13 a.m., by an F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, over Romania's territorial waters, in the Sulina–Chilia area. I congratulate the Romanian pilots and the ground teams for the professionalism, courage, and efficiency with which they carry out their missions. Through their actions, they contribute to the defence of the national territory and the safety of Romanian citizens," President Dan wrote on social media platform X.
According to the investigation conducted by the General Prosecutor's Office, the drone shot down on Friday morning is of the Shahed type, used by Russia against Ukraine. Investigations into the drones shot down on Saturday and Sunday are ongoing.
“Romania's diplomatic protest against the Russian Federation will be based on these investigations," Dan noted.
"It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania's airspace, which is, at the same time, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) airspace and European Union airspace. Such actions are unacceptable, and we treat them with the utmost seriousness, alongside our allies," the Romanian President stressed.
On Saturday, the drone violating Romanian airspace was shot down about 10 km west of Sfantu Gheorghe in central Romania.
Romania's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement that its radar surveillance systems detected an unauthorised drone entering the eastern European country's national airspace and flying in the border area with Ukraine.
"Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Romanian Air Force intercepted the air target and executed standard identification and neutralisation procedures. The drone was safely shot down in an unpopulated area near the border," the Ministry said.
It added that the drone was brought down by the same pilot who had shot down the Shahed drone in Buzau County on Friday.
