Early Sunday morning, NATO fighter jets shot down a drone that had illegally entered Romanian airspace. The unmanned aircraft was first detected near the eastern city of Galați after crossing in from Moldova. A Spanish F‑18 fighter jet, flying as part of NATO’s air policing mission, tracked the drone on radar and was given clearance to engage. The jet destroyed the drone at about 5:01 a.m., and the wreckage landed harmlessly in an empty area between two villages, with no injuries reported.
NATO spokesperson Martin O’Donnell said the drone “appears to be Russian,” though the incident is still under investigation. Romania’s defence ministry said that they’re monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with NATO allies.
NATO fighter jet shoots down drone
However, this isn’t the first time drones have been intercepted over Romania. Back in July, Romanian F‑16s shot down three Russian drones and in May one crashed into an apartment block in Galați, injuring two people. Drone incidents have already caused damage inside Romania. With the war in Ukraine raging just across the border, Romania has been on high alert for drone activity, While both Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to launch long‑range attacks.
Meanwhile, fighting in Ukraine continues. On the same day, Russian forces launched missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, sparking fires in two districts and injuring three people. Ukrainian drones also targeted the Moscow region overnight in what local officials described as one of the largest attacks there, killing an 83‑year‑old man.
For NATO, the latest interception is another reminder of how the Ukraine conflict keeps spilling over into neighboring countries. Romanian and allied forces say they’ll keep scanning the skies and investigating where this drone came from, as the fighting shows no sign of slowing down.
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