Russian drone violates Romanian airspace; search underway for possible crash site

At least one Russian drone violated Romanian airspace during attacks on Ukraine, according to Romania’s defense ministry. A search will be conducted for a drone that may have crashed in Romanian territory.

On Wednesday evening and early Thursday, Russian drones targeted civilian and infrastructure sites in Ukraine near the Romanian border, according to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., radar systems detected an aerial target that briefly crossed into Romanian airspace near the locality of Reni before returning to Ukrainian airspace.

At the same time, a possible impact area was reported in Romania near the Ukrainian border, approximately 6.2 miles (10 km) east of the municipality of Galați. No material damage has been reported.

Romanian forces will conduct searches in the reported impact location, as well as in other nearby areas, the Defense Ministry stated.

There have been multiple instances of Russian drone fragments being found in Romania during the war in Ukraine, including the most recent discovery on January 17, when debris was found in the towns of Chatalchioi and Kiliya Veche following Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

As a NATO member, Romania has played a key role in supporting Ukraine during its ongoing conflict with Russia. The country has provided military aid, including training for Ukrainian fighter pilots and marines. Additionally, Romania has become a crucial route for Ukrainian grain exports, facilitating the movement of goods to global markets.