After incursions, Romanian fighter jets shoot down 2 drones over Black Sea waters
Drones brought down at sea
Romanian F-16s shot down two drones over the Black Sea, according to the Romanian Defense Ministry. Defense Minister Radu Miruta said the drones had entered Romanian airspace illegally.
Miruta said the first drone entered at 17:59 and was shot down within two minutes. The second was downed at 6:05 p.m., five minutes after entering Romanian airspace. The jets intercepted them about 20 kilometers southeast of Sulina. Romanian authorities have not released information about where the drones came from.
NATO meeting planned Tuesday
Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on X that the Black Sea would be safe again. She also said NATO would discuss the incident at a North Atlantic Council meeting on Tuesday.
Romania has reported repeated Russian drone incursions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country began shooting down the drones earlier this year.
Tankers attacked off Romania
Two chemical tankers were attacked Thursday off Romania’s coast, leaving seven crew members missing. Both ships had been anchored near the Sulina Canal, which links the Danube River with the Black Sea.
The canal is used as an export route for Ukraine. Romania, an EU and NATO member, shares a 614-kilometer border with Ukraine, including a stretch along the Danube. Earlier in October, several drone attacks on ships were reported in the Black Sea off Romania and Bulgaria.
Key points
- Romanian F-16s shot down two drones over territorial waters near Sulina.
- The drones’ country of origin has not been disclosed.
- NATO is expected to discuss the incident at a Tuesday meeting.
- Two chemical tankers were attacked off Romania on Thursday, and seven crew members are missing.