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Romania reports Russian drone in its airspace as Poland scrambles jets again Romania says Russian drone incursions pose ‘new challenge’ to Black Sea security
(about 16 hours later)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says drone incursions are ‘an obvious expansion of the war by Russia’ as neighbouring countries deploy air defences Country’s defence ministry condemns ‘irresponsible actions’ after drone entered its airspace on Saturday
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Romania became the latest Nato member state to report a drone incursion into its airspace , with Poland scrambling aircraft in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine. Romania has strongly condemned the entry of a Russian drone into its airspace during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine, saying Moscow’s actions pose a “new challenge” to Black Sea security.
Romania’s defence ministry said on Saturday its airspace had been breached by a drone during a Russian attack on infrastructure in neighbouring Ukraine. Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets late on Saturday to monitor the situation after the strikes, the ministry said in statement. Poland had already denounced the intrusion of Russian drones into its airspace last week, calling on Moscow to avoid further “provocations”. Polish fighter jets scrambled on Saturday in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine.
The jets “detected a drone in national airspace” and tracked it until “it disappeared from the radar” near the Romanian village of Chilia Veche, it added. Romania, a Nato member, has had several drone fragments crash on its territory since Moscow invaded Ukraine, especially as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian ports.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was deliberately expanding its drone operations and that the west needed to respond with tougher sanctions and closer defence cooperation. The latest drone incursions were “an obvious expansion of the war by Russia”, he said. “The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air.” In a statement after the drone entry on Saturday, Romania’s defence ministry said it “strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasises that they represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area”.
What was required in response were fresh sanctions against Russia and a collective defence system, Zelenskyy argued. It added that “such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for international law”.
“Do not wait for dozens of ‘shaheds’ and ballistic missiles before finally making decisions,” he warned, referring to the Iranian-designed Shahed drones Russia is using. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the incident was unacceptable and accused Moscow of a “reckless escalation”.
In Washington, US president Donald Trump said he was ready to impose major sanctions on Russia – just as soon as all Nato nations did the same thing and stopped buying Russian oil. Romania reported late on Saturday that its airspace had been breached by a drone during a Russian attack in neighbouring Ukraine. The country scrambled two F-16 fighter jets, which “detected a drone in national airspace” and tracked it until it dropped off the radar, the defence ministry said.
Also Saturday, Poland said it and its Nato allies had deployed helicopters and aircraft when Russian drones struck Ukraine not far from its border. In its statement, the ministry said a Geran drone used by Russia had entered Romanian airspace. It added that the drone “orbited for about 50 minutes, from north-east of [the village of] Chilia Veche to south-west of Izmail, and left national airspace near the town of Pardina, heading towards Ukraine”.
Because of the drone threat, “Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached their highest level of alert,” the country’s military command posted in a statement on X. Romania’s fighter jets were “supported by German allies … with two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft”, which monitored the situation. The drone did not fly over populated areas and did not pose an imminent threat to the safety of the population, said the statement.
Later on Saturday, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk announced that the high alert had been lifted, while cautioning: “We remain vigilant.” Romania’s foreign minister, Oana Toiu, said on X that she would “raise Russia’s actions at [the] UN general assembly, urging a strict international adherence to sanctions”.
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Kallas wrote on X: “The violation of Romanian airspace by Russian drones is yet another unacceptable breach of an EU member state’s sovereignty. This continued reckless escalation threatens regional security. We stand in solidarity with Romania. I am in close contact with the Romanian government.”
Poland and its fellow Nato countries have been on their guard since Warsaw said nearly 20 Russian drones entered its airspace overnight Tuesday to Wednesday.Poland and its fellow Nato countries have been on their guard since Warsaw said nearly 20 Russian drones entered its airspace overnight Tuesday to Wednesday.
While Russia denies targeting Poland, several European countries including France, Germany and Sweden have stepped up their support for defending Polish airspace in response.While Russia denies targeting Poland, several European countries including France, Germany and Sweden have stepped up their support for defending Polish airspace in response.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Saturday expressed concern at the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace last week but sought to question whether Poland was deliberately targeted. “No doubt about it: the drones were intentionally launched. The question is whether the drones were targeted to go into Poland specifically,” he said. If it turned out to have been deliberate, “then obviously it will be … highly escalatory”, he told reporters in Washington. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warned that Russia was deliberately expanding its drone operations and that the west needed to respond with tougher sanctions and closer defence cooperation. The latest drone incursions were “an obvious expansion of the war by Russia”, he said. “The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air.”
On Friday, Poland rejected Donald Trump’s suggestion that the incursions could have been a mistake, a rare contradiction of the US president from one of Washington’s closest European allies. What was required in response were fresh sanctions against Russia and a collective defence system, Zelenskyy argued. “Do not wait for dozens of Shaheds and ballistic missiles before finally making decisions,” he said, referring to the Iranian-designed Shahed drones Russia is using.
On Saturday, Trump returned to the issue of sanctions against Russia, putting the ball back in the court of his Nato allies. In February, the Romanian parliament adopted a law that made it possible for the country to shoot down drones breaching its airspace.
“I am ready to do major sanctions on Russia when all Nato nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all Nato nations stop buying oil from Russia,” he said in a post on social media.
Trump has repeatedly threatened sanctions against Russia without following through.
In Russia, an official reported that a Ukrainian drone had hit one of its largest oil refining complexes, 1,400km (870 miles) from the frontline in Ukraine.
The drone had sparked a fire and caused minor damage at the complex, which belongs to Russian oil company Bashneft, and lies on the outskirts of the central Russian city of Ufa.
A source in Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency claimed responsibility for the attack.
Since Moscow launched its full-scale military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv has responded with attacks on Russian refineries in an attempt to curb the Kremlin’s ability to fund the conflict through its fossil fuel industry.