Romanian F-16 Shoots Down Third Drone Over Black Sea Territorial Waters

BLACK SEA — A Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft shot down an unauthorized drone at 10:13 local time on 26 July over Romania’s territorial waters 12 km northeast of Sulina, according to the Ministry of Defense. The interception marks the third such action in three consecutive days.

What Happened

• On 24 July at approximately 11:02 local, a Romanian F-16 from the 86th Air Base Fetești engaged and neutralized an unmanned aerial vehicle over an unpopulated area near Padina, Buzău County, after radar detection 20 km east of Sulina and airspace penetration along a Sulina–Brăila–Fetești–Buzău track. Two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons under NATO Air Policing also scrambled.

• On 25 July at 08:22 local, radar detected a second unauthorized drone near the Ukrainian border; two Romanian F-16s intercepted and shot it down in an unpopulated area near the border.

• On 26 July at 10:13 local, a Romanian F-16 shot down a third drone that had entered national airspace without authorization; the impact occurred 12 km northeast of Sulina inside Romanian territorial waters in the Sulina–Chilia area.

• The Prosecutor General’s Office determined the 24 July drone was a Shahed-type system used by the Russian Federation; investigations of the 25 and 26 July drones remain open.

• Romanian President Nicușor Dan stated that a diplomatic protest against the Russian Federation will rest on the forensic results and described the repeated violations of Romanian, NATO, and EU airspace as inadmissible and intolerable.

Official Statements

• Romanian Ministry of Defense, Press Release No. 149, 26 July 2026: “On Sunday, July 26th, at 10:13, a Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft shot down a drone that had entered the national airspace without authorization. The drone was safely shot down 12 km northeast of Sulina, within Romania’s territorial waters.”

• President Nicușor Dan, 26 July 2026: “A new drone was shot down this morning, at 10:13, by an F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, above Romania’s territorial waters, in the Sulina–Chilia area. … According to the investigation conducted by the Prosecutor General’s Office, the drone shot down Friday morning is of the Shahed type, used by the Russian Federation in the war of aggression against Ukraine. Investigations regarding the drones shot down yesterday and today are ongoing. Romania’s diplomatic protest against the Russian Federation will be based on these researches. It is inadmissible and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romania’s airspace, which is at the same time NATO and EU airspace.”

• President Maia Sandu of Moldova, 26 July 2026: “Another Russian drone downed over Romania today. We condemn Russia’s systematic violations of Romanian airspace — NATO and EU airspace. We commend the skill and courage of Romania’s Air Force. Romania’s security is Moldova’s security. We stand with Romania.”