Key facts
- Romania shot down three suspected Russian drones that violated its airspace between July 24 and July 26.
- The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia's ambassador and presented drone fragments.
- Romania expelled a Russian diplomat following the drone incursions.
- President Nicușor Dan stated that Russia's continued violation of Romanian airspace is inadmissible and intolerable.
- Romania has experienced numerous drone incursions since February 2022, with 19 entering its airspace this year and 50 cases of drones or fragments on its territory since 2022.
- Romania has adopted a new tactic of actively shooting down drones, moving away from previous responses of collecting debris.
Romania has expelled a Russian diplomat after shooting down three suspected Russian drones that violated its airspace over three days, marking a significant escalation in response to persistent incursions. President Nicușor Dan condemned the actions as "inadmissible and intolerable," stating that Romania, a NATO and European Union member, treats such violations with utmost seriousness.
The first drone was shot down on July 24, followed by two more on July 25 and July 26. Investigations are ongoing, but initial findings suggest the drone downed on July 24 was a Shahed-type UAV used by Russia in its war against Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia's ambassador and presented drone fragments, holding Moscow "exclusively responsible" for the violations.
These incidents represent a shift in Romania's strategy. Previously, the country focused on collecting debris from drones that entered its territory. However, following a drone strike on a residential building in Galați in May that injured two people, and with a history of 19 drone incursions this year and 50 cases of drones or fragments on its territory since 2022, Romania has adopted a more assertive stance, actively shooting down the aircraft. Military analysts suggest this change may be a psychological trigger and a signal to Moscow that NATO will not tolerate provocations.
The Russian embassy denied the allegations, calling them "completely unfounded," and warned that the expulsion of a diplomat "will not go unanswered." Romania's defense ministry indicated that new tactics and procedures have been developed to counter the drone threat, drawing lessons from previous incidents.