News Feed

'Reckless escalation' — Kallas condemns Russian drone in Romanian airspace

1 min read
'Reckless escalation' — Kallas condemns Russian drone in Romanian airspace
Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas arrives for a summit at EU parliament in Brussels, Belgium on Feb. 9, 2023. (John Thys /AFP via Getty Images)

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the Russian drone violation of Romanian airspace in a statement on Sept. 14.

“The violation of Romanian airspace by Russian drones is yet another unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an EU member state. This continued reckless escalation threatens regional security,” Kallas wrote on X.

She emphasized the EU’s solidarity with Romania and noted that she remains in close contact with the Romanian government.

According to Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu, radar systems detected the drone as it approached Romanian airspace. Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept it.

Romanian jets refrained from downing the drone since it eventually turned back toward Ukraine.

The drone crossed into Romania during a Russian attack on Ukraine, penetrating about 10 kilometers (six miles) and remaining in NATO airspace for around 50 minutes, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

EU must not fall into Russian trap on territorial concessions, Kallas warns
The top European diplomat described Russia’s three-step negotiation tactic: demanding what it never had, followed by ultimatums and threats, finished off by the West ready to concede to Moscow’s demands.
Article image
Avatar
Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

Read more
News Feed

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down Russia’s largest drone and missile attack on Ukraine, as well as the shocking incursion of Russian drones into Poland, which marked the first direct NATO engagement with Moscow since the full-scale invasion began.

Show More