Tensions on NATO border, Romania down three fears for three days

Romania's president, Nicuıor Dan, announced that on Sunday morning a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter plane knocked down a fear over Romania's territorial waters in the Sulina\Chilia area on the Danube Delta, near the Ukrainian border.

I commend pilots and ground teams for the professionalism, courage and efficiency with which they carry out their” missions, Dan wrote on the social X network.

A day earlier, on Saturday, another drone crashed about 10km west of Sfântu Gheorghe village after two F-16s rose to identify and intercept the target. The Romanian Defence Ministry announced that the fears were safely toppled in an uninhabited area near the border.

Meanwhile, even Friday, one Romanian F-16 had dropped another fears.

Romania's General Prosecutor has confirmed that the fears dropped on Friday were called “Checked”, used by Russian forces in aggression against Ukraine. Investigations into dropped fears Saturday and Sunday are still under way.

President Dan deemed the continuing violation of Romanian airspace by Russia unacceptable.

“Such actions are unacceptable and we are dealing with maximum seriousness, in co-operation with our allies”, he said.

Romania, as a NATO member and a Black Sea exit country, has faced an increase in incidents related to fears due to the war in Ukraine in recent months.

In May, a Russian explosive threat collapsed on a residential building in Galaï, triggering fire on the roof and wounding two people. In June, a Ukrainian naval threat erupted at the port of Constanta, since, according to the Ukrainian army, it had strayed from the course because of Russian electronic interventions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has named incidents such as “direct consequences of Russia's fight against Ukraine”.