Romanian F-16 fighter jets have shot down three drones in three days, including a Russian drone intercepted over the Black Sea on Sunday. President Nicusor Dan described these breaches of the NATO member's airspace as "inadmissible and intolerable." While Romania has experienced frequent drone incursions since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the country had not shot down any until Friday.
The Romanian Prosecutor General's Office and a government investigation identified the first of the three drones, intercepted on Friday, as a Shahed-type model used by Russia in its war against Ukraine. Prior to these latest interceptions, Romanian jets shot down a drone in the sky above Estonia in May.
Following the repeated violations, Romania's foreign ministry expelled a diplomat at Russia's embassy and notified the ambassador of the decision. These ongoing airspace violations have raised concerns over the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on NATO states.