Romanian jet shoots down drone over airspace for third consecutive day

Romania’s air defence forces intercepted a third unmanned aerial vehicle over national airspace on Sunday, the country’s defence minister announced, marking the third such incident in as many days. A fighter jet from the Romanian Air Force engaged the drone, which was reported to be approaching from the east, and successfully shot it down before it could enter Romanian territory.

An ongoing government investigation has already identified the first of the three drones as a Shahed model, a type supplied by Russia and widely used in its war against Ukraine. The repeated incursions have prompted heightened alert levels among NATO’s eastern flank members, with Romanian authorities coordinating closely with allied partners to monitor and respond to any further aerial threats.