Romania scrambles F-16s in response to Russian drone attack on Ukraine
Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets on the night of 28-29 January in response to a Russian drone attack on Ukraine, including areas near the Romanian border.
Romanian monitoring systems detected drones approaching the Ukrainian airspace near the Romanian border on the night of 28-29 January.
Romania’s Defence Ministry reported that two Romanian Air Force F-16s, part of the Air Policing Combat Service, took off from the 86th Air Base in Borcea to monitor the situation in the air at around 03:20 on Thursday. The planes returned to base about two hours later.
"At the same time, the National Military Command Centre (Core) notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations regarding the establishment of measures to alert the population in the Chilia Veche area. As a result, a RO-Alert message was sent at 03:05, and at 04:08 the cessation of alert measures in the targeted area was declared," the ministry stated.
Radar intelligence data confirmed that no air targets had entered Romanian airspace.
"The Ministry of National Defence will today conduct research in areas where risks may arise as a result of these situations and will continue its airspace monitoring missions. Allied structures are also informed in real time with regard to the situations generated by these attacks."
Additionally, the Ministry of National Defence issued a "firm condemnation" of the Russian Federation's attacks on Ukrainian civilian facilities and infrastructure, calling them unjustified and a serious breach of international law.
Since the evening of 28 January, the Russians have launched 57 Shahed attack UAVs and various types of decoy drones into Ukraine; 29 of the drones have been destroyed and 14 disappeared from radar.
The wreckage of downed strike drones used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian ports has repeatedly been found along the Romanian border on the Danube River.
Since 29 September, NATO has stepped up airspace monitoring over Romania, deploying an additional Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
In late October, it was reported that the Romanian Defence Ministry had prepared a draft law granting the authority to down drones that violate the country’s airspace.