Debris from Russian drones fell onto Romanian territory during one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, in a significant escalation that prompted the scrambling of RAF fighter jets and renewed concerns over spillover into NATO airspace.
The Romanian Ministry of Defence confirmed that fragments from Russian drones were recovered in the Galati region after a coordinated overnight attack on Ukraine in the early hours of Saturday.
Authorities said British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets, deployed under NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission, were scrambled at around 2 am to monitor activity in Romanian airspace after multiple aerial targets were detected near the Ukrainian port city of Reni, close to the border.
Romanian pilots reported radar contact with a target approximately 1.5 kilometres from Reni over Ukrainian territory and were authorised to engage.
Residents in Tulcea county were warned via the RO-ALERT emergency system during the overnight alert. Later, debris was discovered on Romanian soil, where it caused minor damage to an auxiliary farm building and an electricity pole. No casualties were reported.
Romania’s defence ministry strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a direct threat to regional stability and international law.
“These incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s disrespect for international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens but also the collective security of NATO,” it said.
The spillover came amid a sweeping Russian aerial campaign against Ukraine, in which officials say Moscow launched 666 missiles and drones overnight, primarily targeting the city of Dnipro and other urban centres across the country.
In Dnipro, the death toll has risen to at least four, with residential buildings and industrial sites among those hit. Across Ukraine, at least six people were killed, and more than 30 were injured, including children.
Ukrainian air defences intercepted more than 600 incoming drones and missiles, according to military figures, but widespread damage was still reported across multiple regions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks demonstrated Moscow’s continued disregard for civilian life and international borders, urging Western partners to accelerate the delivery of air defence systems.
He renewed calls for faster implementation of the PURL programme, arguing that Russia’s “murderous war machine” continues to escalate its aerial campaign despite mounting interception rates.
The incident in Romania adds to growing concern among NATO members along the alliance’s eastern flank, where repeated Russian strikes near border regions have already led to heightened air policing operations and increased fighter jet deployments in recent months.
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