Key facts
- Two jet-powered drones were shot down by Romanian F-16s on October 17.
- The drones were identified as belonging to the Geran-family, often used by Russia.
- The drones entered Romanian airspace for five minutes before being downed.
Two Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two jet-powered drones that had entered Romanian national airspace on October 17, the country's Defense Ministry announced. The drones were identified as belonging to the Geran-family, which Russia frequently uses in attacks on Ukraine. Romania's radar system initially detected the aerial targets flying approximately 120 kilometers east of Snake Island in the Black Sea. Two F-16s were scrambled from Borcea Air Base at 5:43 p.m. local time, downing the drones between 6:01 p.m. and 6:05 p.m. local time over Romanian national waters. The drones had been maneuvering in the nation's airspace for a total of five minutes. Geran drones are known for their speed, reaching up to 600 km/h, making them difficult to engage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian warplanes are responsible for downing 55-60% of all jet-powered drones launched by Russia.