Russia Blames Ukraine for Drone Incident in Romania
Russia has claimed that the drone intrusion into Romanian airspace was a provocation by Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Bucharest said that all the facts “lead one to believe that it was a deliberate provocation by the Kyiv regime.”
Romanian Response
Romania’s Defence Ministry said that late on Saturday two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after a drone breached its airspace during a Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The jets tracked the drone until it disappeared from radar near the village of Chilia Veche. Romanian authorities stated that the drone did not fly over populated areas and posed no immediate danger to civilians.
Diplomatic Tension
Romania summoned Russia’s ambassador, Vladimir Lipayev, to protest the incident. The Romanian government condemned the intrusion as “unacceptable and irresponsible.”
Ukraine’s Stand
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the drone had flown about 10 km into Romanian territory and stayed in NATO airspace for nearly 50 minutes. He condemned what he called an expansion of the war by Russia.
