Suspected Russian Drone Shot Down in Romanian Airspace

By Reuters Aug. 16, 2026 Fragments of drones downed on Romanian territory are displayed at the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest in this handout image released on July 27, 2026. Romanian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS An F-18 fighter on a NATO air policing mission shot down a drone that illegally breached Romanian national airspace, the fourth unmanned aircraft shot down over the country this year, Romania's Defense Ministry said on Sunday. A spokesperson for NATO's military headquarters, U.S. Army Colonel Martin O'Donnell, said the alliance is constantly on watch and prepared to defend itself from any threat. "Additional details regarding Sunday’s incident remain under investigation, but the drone appears to be Russian," he said. NATO member Romania shares a 614 kilometers (381 miles) land border with Ukraine and has reported repeated breaches of its airspace by Russian drones over the past four years, as well as mines floating in the Black Sea across key trade and energy routes. Romania's Defense Ministry did not specify the origin of the drone, saying it was detected by radar as it entered the country from neighboring Moldova, 24 kilometers north of the southeastern Romanian city of Galati. The F-18 jet, part of a Spanish NATO contingent deployed in Romania, "made radar contact with the target and received permission to engage," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the drone was shot down safely at 5:01 a.m. The ministry said that fragments from the destroyed drone appeared to have fallen in an uninhabited area between two villages. In July, Romanian F-16 fighter jet pilots shot down three Russian drones breaching national airspace for the first time after dozens of such incursions since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine. In May, a Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in Galati during an overnight attack on neighboring Ukraine, injuring two people. Read more about: NATO , Romania , Drones 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 Putin Rejects Blame for Drone Crash in Romania, Demands Evidence It Came From Russia Bucharest said the downed drone was a Russian Geran-2 and slammed the incident as a “serious and irresponsible escalation” by Moscow. 3 Min read opinion Alexander Baunov for Carnegie By Sending Drones Into NATO States, Russia Is Repeating the Mistakes of 2022 In 2022, the Kremlin was counting on Ukraine to prove weak and futile. Now it is counting on NATO to be weak, divided and indecisive. 6 Min read Latvia Reports Russian Drone Crash on NATO Territory Fellow NATO member Romania also said on Sunday that a Russian attack drone had entered its airspace. 2 Min read NATO Chief Says No Sign Debris in Romania Indicates Deliberate Attack by Moscow "We are awaiting the outcome of the ongoing investigation," NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told EU lawmakers. 1 Min read