Moscow to Summon Romanian Envoy After Russian Diplomat Expelled Over Drone Incursions

Aug. 26, 2026 Fragments of drones downed on Romanian territory are displayed at the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest. Romanian Foreign Ministry / via REUTERS Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced plans to summon Romania’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday. According to the ministry’s short statement, Liliana Burda was expected to be summoned on Thursday. The Russian ministry did not publicly confirm plans to summon Burda or the reason for her planned summoning as of publication. The move would come exactly one month after Moscow’s promise to retaliate after Bucharest in late July declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata over repeated drone incursions into Romanian airspace. At the time, Romania’s foreign ministry also recalled its own ambassador to Russia for consultations. The ministry summoned Russia’s Ambassador in Bucharest, Vladimir Lipayev, to show him fragments of a drone destroyed over Romanian territory. “The Romanian side expressed its firm protest against these illegal and irresponsible actions and made clear where responsibility lies,” the ministry said on July 27, adding that Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace was “absolutely unacceptable and intolerable.” The Romanian military shot down three drones said to be of Russian origin between July 24 and July 26. Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine, has reported multiple breaches of its airspace since the 2022 Russian invasion. Read more about: Romania , Diplomacy Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia's Ties With India and Pakistan, Explained The Moscow Times examines Russia’s relationship with both India and Pakistan amid a flare-up in tensions between the two countries. 4 Min read Rubio Warns U.S. Will End Mediation Unless It Sees ‘Concrete Proposals’ From Russia and Ukraine "If there is not progress, we will step back as mediators in this process," the State Department spokeswoman said. 1 Min read Resumption of Direct Flights Depends on Ukraine Ceasefire, U.S. Tells Russia “The Americans still believe there needs to be progress on the Ukrainian track before any talk of restoring air travel,” Putin's foreign policy aide... 2 Min read U.S. Reportedly Pressuring Russia to Sell Shuttered Diplomatic Properties Russian diplomats are not pleased with the proposal