Key facts
- A marine drone self-detonated in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday.
- The detonation occurred near an oil terminal.
- No casualties were reported.
- The port was evacuated and residents along the coast were warned to take cover.
- Ukraine stated one of its naval drones lost control due to Russian electronic warfare and drifted towards the coast.
- Romania's navy previously detonated a Russian anti-landing mine.
A marine drone self-detonated on Friday in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta, near an oil terminal, with no casualties reported. Ukraine's navy stated that one of its naval drones lost control due to Russian electronic warfare and drifted towards the Romanian coast, prompting them to warn Romanian authorities. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. (0730 GMT), approximately four hours after the drone's presence was first noted. Following the detonation, the port was evacuated, over 1,000 people were removed from nearby beaches and the Danube Delta as a precaution, and ships and two helicopters surveyed the area for additional drones. Restrictions were lifted later in the day after no further risks were detected. This event follows a prior incident a week earlier where a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in Galati, injuring two people. Romania, a NATO and EU member, shares a 650-km border with Ukraine and has experienced repeated Russian drone incursions and floating mines in the Black Sea. Earlier in the week, Romania's navy detonated a Russian YaRM-type anti-landing mine. Officials from Romania, Ukraine, and the EU highlighted the Constanta explosion as a direct consequence of Russia's war against Ukraine, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating that Russia's war is increasingly a direct threat to countries on Europe's eastern border.