Romania summons Russian ambassador over drone ‘threat’

BUCHAREST – Romania on Sept 14 strongly condemned the entry of a Russian drone into its airspace during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine, with the Foreign Ministry summoning Moscow’s ambassador over the incident.

The incursion came days after fellow Nato member Poland said it had

shot down Russian drones

that had violated its airspace as Moscow launched a barrage against Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of “testing” Romania and wanting to “bring the war” to Poland and the Baltic states with the intrusions.

Earlier on Sept 14, Nato member Romania said that Moscow’s actions posed a “new challenge” to Black Sea security.

Foreign Minister Oana Toiu also announced that Russia’s Ambassador to Bucharest Vladimir Lipaev would be summoned over the Sept 13 drone incident to the ministry.

After the meeting on the evening of Sept 14, the ministry said in a statement that Romania had “conveyed its strong protest against this unacceptable and irresponsible act, which constitutes a violation of (its) sovereignty”.

“Such recurring incidents contribute to the escalation and amplification of threats to regional security,” said the statement, adding that Moscow was “urgently requested... to prevent any future violations”.

Poland had already denounced the intrusion of Russian drones into its airspace, calling on Moscow to avoid further “provocations”. Polish fighter jets scrambled on Sept 13 in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine.

‘New security challenge’

Romania has had several drone fragments crash on its territory since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, especially as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian ports.

In a statement, Romania’s Defence Ministry said it “strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasises that they represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area”.

It added that “such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for international law”.

In his evening address on Sept 14, Mr Zelensky repeated his argument that Russia was seeking to expand its invasion of his country.

“Everyone can see that the Russians are exploring how to bring the war to Poland and the Baltic states. The Russian army is also testing Romania,” he said.

Ms Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, called the Russian action a “reckless” threat to security.

“The violation of Romanian airspace by Russian drones is yet another unacceptable breach of an EU member state’s sovereignty,” she wrote on social media platform X.

“This continued reckless escalation threatens regional security. We stand in solidarity with Romania. I am in close contact with the Romanian government.”

Jets scrambled

Russia has not yet commented since Romania reported late on Sept 13 that its airspace had been breached by a drone during a Russian attack in neighbouring Ukraine, but has denied targeting Poland.

Romania

scrambled two F-16 fighter jets

, which “detected a drone in national airspace” and tracked it until it dropped off the radar, the Defence Ministry said.

In its statement on Sept 14, the ministry said a “Geran drone used by” Russia had entered Romanian airspace.

It added that the drone “orbited for about 50 minutes, from north-east of (the village of) Chilia Veche to south-west of Izmail, and left national airspace near the town of Pardina, heading towards Ukraine”.

Romania’s fighter jets were “supported by German allies... with two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft”, which monitored the situation.

The drone did not fly over populated areas and did not pose an imminent threat to the safety of the population, the statement said.

Ms Toiu said on X that she will “raise Russia’s actions at (the) UN General Assembly, urging a strict international adherence to sanctions”.

In February, the Romanian Parliament adopted a law allowing the country to shoot down drones breaching its airspace. AFP