Romanian military destroys 2 Gerbera drones found in Black Sea

Romanian military divers destroyed two Gerbera-type drones found drifting near an offshore gas project in the country's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta said on Aug. 11.

The drones were discovered about 90 nautical miles off the coast of Constanta near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project by a civilian vessel conducting work in the area, Miruta said in a social media post.

A Romanian Coast Guard vessel was dispatched to the area, where authorities identified two drifting drones and additional debris.

Explosive ordnance disposal divers from the Romanian military subsequently destroyed the two Gerbera drones through a controlled detonation to ensure the safety of the waterway and ongoing operations around the platform.

Romanian authorities contacted Ukraine following the discovery. "We contacted our Ukrainian partners, who confirmed that the systems do not belong to them," Miruta wrote.

He did not say who was believed to have operated the drones or how they reached the area.

The Gerbera is a Russian-made multipurpose drone modeled on the Iranian-designed Shahed-136. Russian forces first deployed Gerbera drones against Ukraine in 2024 and have used them for strikes, reconnaissance, and signal relay.

Romania's exclusive economic zone covers roughly 22,485 square kilometers (8,681 square miles) of the Black Sea, extending beyond the country's territorial waters, which reach 12 nautical miles from its coast. The maritime boundary between Romania and Ukraine was established in 2009 following a ruling by the International Court of Justice.

Romania, a NATO member, also shares a roughly 614-kilometer (382-mile) land border with Ukraine and has repeatedly reported Russian drones or drone debris entering its territory during attacks on neighboring Ukraine.

Most recently, Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets on Aug. 2 after detecting a drone near its border with Ukraine during a Russian attack on southern Ukraine. The drone entered Romanian airspace for about 20 minutes before returning to Ukraine, where Romanian authorities said it was shot down by Ukrainian forces.

The Black Sea has also faced other security threats since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including drifting sea mines that have threatened shipping along key trade and energy routes.