Parts of a Russian drone have been discovered on Romanian soil, according to Romania’s Defence Minister, Angel Tilvar. This revelation comes shortly after Ukraine reported incidents involving Russian drones on Romanian territory.
Romanian authorities had initially dismissed reports of drones falling within their borders and had asserted that Russian attacks in neighboring Ukraine did not pose a direct threat. However, during a speech at the Three Seas Initiative summit in Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis characterized these attacks as war crimes occurring in close proximity to Romania’s border.
Tilvar, in an interview with Antenna 3 CNN broadcaster, affirmed the finding of drone components and clarified that there had been no evacuation of the area, as there was no evidence to suggest that the parts posed a threat. An analysis will be conducted to determine the origin of these components.
The situation unfolded after Ukraine reported that Russian drones had detonated in Romania during a Russian airstrike on a Ukrainian port across the Danube River. These incidents have become more frequent since July, following Moscow’s abandonment of an agreement that had previously lifted a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
President Iohannis underscored that the discovery of Russian drone components on Romanian territory would constitute a grave violation of Romania’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reiterated that Romania maintains constant communication with its NATO allies and remains on alert.
Tilvar echoed the absence of an immediate threat, speculating that the drone may not have exploded upon impact but rather descended onto Romanian territory. He stressed the importance of distinguishing between an act of aggression and an inadvertent incident.
The region has previously witnessed incidents involving suspected Russian weaponry traversing or crashing into neighboring nations. In a notable case, a missile near the Polish border resulted in the loss of two lives last November. Poland and its NATO partners later confirmed that it was a misfired Ukrainian air defense missile.
This situation further complicates the ongoing Ukraine conflict, highlighting the concerns of NATO member countries in the region regarding potential spillover effects and infringements on their territorial integrity.