According to the government, Romanian radars detected the vehicle before Italian fighters participating in a NATO air policing mission, and then Romanian ones, were deployed.
Published 07/24/2026, 16:53.
Updated 07/24/2026, 17:03.
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A PAC-2 ATM missile fired from a Romanian Army Patriot launcher during a military exercise to identify, track and destroy drone air targets in Capu Midia, Romania, November 15, 2023. (DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP)
For the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Romania shot down a drone about a hundred kilometers from Bucharest on Friday, July 24, said the president of this country on the eastern flank of NATO, Nicusor Dan. “He was shot (…) Romanian pilot on F-16″– he told the media. The army was able to shoot down the drone due to the uninhabited nature of the area where it was spotted, the head of state said. According to authorities, an analysis of the impact area and debris is currently underway.
“This is the first time that a drone has been intercepted and destroyed in Romanian national airspace.”This was stated by Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on X. According to the government, Romanian radars detected him before Italian fighter jets participating in the NATO air police mission, and then Romanian ones, were deployed.
The country of 19 million people has become one of the states most exposed to the consequences of the war in Ukraine among members of the Atlantic Alliance. Its eastern façade, bordering the Black Sea, is in close proximity to areas regularly targeted by Russian attacks. Drone incursions are common in the Black Sea and on the border with Ukraine. Romania and the European Union (EU) condemn Russia’s responsibility for these security incidents. Since 2023, Romanian authorities have repeatedly announced the discovery of drone fragments after attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube.
On the night of May 28-29, for example, two people were injured when a drone with an explosive charge fell on a residential building in Galati, near the border with Ukraine. In 2025, Bucharest received a legal framework allowing the interception and destruction of drones. Friday’s incident represents the first use of these new prerogatives.