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Romania finds more suspected Russian drone fragments

2 min read
Romania finds more suspected Russian drone fragments
An explosion allegedly caused by Russian drone debris falling in Romania during Russia's overnight attack on Odesa Oblast on Sept. 4, 2023. (Photo: Oleh Nikolenko/Facebook)

The Romanian military has discovered suspected Russian drone fragments near one of the Danube River's branches, the Romanian Defense Minister reported on Sept. 13.

According to the ministry, a Romanian helicopter crew found possible drone debris near the villages of Nufărul and Victoria in Tulcea County, dispersed over an area of several tens of meters, at around 11:30 a.m. local time.

Another helicopter was reportedly dispatched to the site with a specialized team onboard to investigate the fragments.

The villages lie at the Saint George's Branch of the Danube, roughly 15-20 kilometers southeast of the Ukrainian border.

This is not the first time the Romanian authorities have found fragments of what are presumably Russian drones destroyed in strikes against Ukraine.

Russia has escalated its attacks against Ukrainian port infrastructure following its unilateral termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, targeting Ukraine's river ports Izmail and Reni near the Romanian border.

Following a drone attack overnight on Sept. 4, Ukraine said that some unmanned aerial vehicles had fallen and detonated on Romanian soil.

Bucharest initially denied the report, only to change their statement on Sept. 6, when Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar confirmed that what appears to be drone fragments had been found on Romania's side of the Danube River.

On Sept. 9, the Romanian military found debris from yet another drone "similar to those used by the Russian army" at Plauru, a village only a few hundred meters from the Ukrainian border.

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis condemned the incident "caused by the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube."

Bucharest demands end to Russian attacks after finding drone debris on Romanian territory
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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