Romania destroys drones near Black Sea gas project

Miruta stated that the decision to destroy the drones by detonation was made to ensure the safety of the shipping lane and ongoing work around the platform. Ukraine confirmed that the systems did not belong to its forces. Romania, a NATO member, shares a significant land border with Ukraine and has experienced repeated drone incursions and floating mines in the Black Sea over the past four years.

In July, Romanian fighter jets shot down three Russian drones that breached national airspace. Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, all Black Sea littoral states, have collectively neutralized over 150 mines. These three nations have agreed to expand a joint task force focused on clearing mines to also include missions for protecting critical infrastructure. Romania's Neptun Deep project, a joint venture between OMV Petrom and Romgaz, is slated to begin production in 2027, positioning Romania as the EU's largest gas producer.