- NATO warplanes on Sunday shot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace and appeared to be Russian in origin, the second downing of a drone in alliance airspace in three days.
- Romania detected an incursion from neighboring Moldova early Sunday morning local time, and NATO forces based in Romania scrambled two Spanish air force F-18s on rotation to the region; one of the jets shot down the drone over an unpopulated area in the country’s east.
- The incident is under investigation, but the drone appears to be Russian, said U.S. Army Col. Martin O’Donnell, spokesman for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s military command; it is rare for the alliance to point a finger at Moscow so quickly.
- The incursion and a rare attribution to Moscow add to fears that the war in Ukraine will spill into Europe, and the downings are a fresh sign of spillover from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Sunday’s downing was the fourth over Romania since the war began in 2022.
- Drone incursions into NATO airspace have become a near-weekly occurrence this summer; many are believed to result from Russian or Ukrainian electronic-warfare systems interfering with drone navigation equipment, but some are also suspected of being Russian attempts to probe NATO air defenses.
- The incursions add to anxiety among alliance members about the potential for Russia to test the alliance’s resolve with direct or indirect aerial intrusions; intercepting a drone with two advanced jet fighters is extremely expensive, and O’Donnell said that NATO, Romania and other allies are acquiring ground-based interceptors to boost air-defense capabilities.
NATO jets shot down a suspected Russian drone over Romania on Sunday, marking the second such incident in three days. This event underscores growing fears of the Ukraine war spilling into Europe, as drone incursions into NATO airspace have become increasingly common.
Romania's military reported that the drone was intercepted by two Spanish F-18s after it entered Romanian airspace from Moldova. U.S. Army Col. Martin O'Donnell, a NATO military command spokesman, stated, “the drone appears to be Russian.” This incident is particularly notable as it is rare for NATO to quickly attribute such actions to Moscow.
The downing of the drone is the fourth over Romania since the war began in 2022, highlighting a troubling trend of aerial incursions. “The downings are a fresh sign of spillover from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” experts warn. The incursions have raised anxiety among NATO members, who fear that Russia may be testing the alliance's resolve through direct or indirect aerial intrusions.8
NATO has been responding to these threats by acquiring ground-based interceptors to enhance air-defense capabilities. Intercepting a drone with two advanced jet fighters is extremely expensive, indicating the seriousness of the situation. As the conflict continues, the potential for further escalation remains a pressing concern for European security.
“Sunday's downing was the fourth over Romania since the war began in 2022, and drone incursions into NATO airspace have become a near-weekly occurrence this summer. NATO and allies are acquiring ground-based interceptors to counter the threat, as intercepting a drone with advanced jet fighters is extremely expensive.”
