The key facts

  • Two drones shot down by F-16s southeast of Sulina: the first at 17:59 (downed within two minutes), the second at 18:05
  • The origin of the drones has not yet been established
  • NATO will discuss Black Sea defence and deterrence at a meeting on Tuesday

Incident over the Black Sea

Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two drones over the country's territorial waters, the Romanian Ministry of Defence reported. Defence Minister Radu Miruță wrote on Facebook that two drones were intercepted and shot down by Romanian military pilots over the Black Sea shortly after illegally entering the country's airspace. No information about the country of origin of the drones has been published so far.

Timeline of the interception

According to the Ministry of Defence, two F-16s conducting an air policing mission, scrambled from the 86th Air Base at Borcea near Fetești, were deployed after radars detected a series of aerial targets. Miruță said the first drone entered national airspace at 17:59 (14:59 GMT) and was shot down within two minutes approximately 25 km southeast of Sulina. The second drone in the same area was shot down at 18:05, five minutes after entering the airspace, approximately 20 km east of Sulina. Deutsche Welle's report gave the distance as about 20 km southeast of Sulina.

Reaction of the authorities

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu wrote on X: 'The Black Sea will be safe again.' She also noted that the Black Sea is a critically important maritime artery for global exports of grain, energy resources and industrial goods, and that its stability is vital for international food and energy security. According to her, NATO will discuss Black Sea defence and deterrence issues at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday.

Context of a series of incidents

This drone incursion is the latest episode in a series of incidents linked to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In October, several drone attacks on vessels off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria were reported. The most recent attack took place on Thursday: two chemical tankers were attacked off the Romanian coast, with seven crew members listed as missing. Both vessels were anchored near the Sulina Canal, which connects the Danube to the Black Sea and serves as an export route for Ukraine. Romania, an EU and NATO member, shares a 614-kilometre border with Ukraine, partly running along the Danube. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the country has repeatedly reported Russian drone incursions into its airspace, and since the beginning of the current year it has begun shooting them down.