Romania's Defense Ministry confirmed on July 25 that it had found Russian drone fragments near the town of Plauru, across the Danube River from the Ukrainian city of Izmail.
The day before, the Romanian Air Force announced that it had scrambled its F-16 fighter jets in response to a Russian drone attack on Izmail district in Odesa Oblast.
It was not the first time that wreckage of drones, likely from Russia, has been found on Romanian territory, which is a NATO country. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River that separates Ukraine and Romania.
"More heinous attacks have been perpetrated by Russia against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Debris has been found on Romanian territory," Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu wrote on X.
The Defense Ministry confirmed that fragments of a Russian Geran 1/2-type drone had been found and said that an investigation into the possible locations of other debris would continue.
"While NATO has no information indicating any intentional attack by Russia against allied territory, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous," a NATO spokesperson said about the news, as cited by Reuters.
In a statement posted on its official website, the Defense Ministry said that it "sends a firm message of condemnation of these attacks carried out by Russia against some objectives and elements of Ukrainian civil infrastructure, which are unjustified and in serious contradiction with the norms of international law."
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in September 2023 that while Russian drones are not intentionally targeting Romania, the situation is still "unacceptable."
Romania has taken measures to protect its citizens who live close to the Ukrainian border, including the construction of air raid shelters and the deployment of drone defense systems.
Nate Ostiller
(Updated: )
