Ukrainian air defense systems shoot down drone near Romanian border, ministry says

Ukrainian air defense systems shot down a drone on Friday morning, February 27, near Romania’s border, approximately 100 meters from the village of Chilia Veche, the Romanian Defense Ministry (MApN) said. Authorities are prepared to search for possible debris that may have fallen on national territory, according to the same source.

According to the ministry, Russia launched new aerial attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports earlier in the morning. Romanian radar systems detected a drone flying in Ukrainian airspace toward northern Tulcea County, prompting officials to issue a RO-Alert warning to residents at 8:45 a.m.

“In accordance with air policing procedures, two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from Fetești Air Base took off at 9:04 a.m. to conduct reconnaissance and monitor the airspace,” reads the ministry’s statement.

“A few minutes later, the aircraft confirmed radar contact with the target nine km from Chilia Veche, over Ukrainian territory, and at 9:13 a.m., the drone was shot down by Ukrainian army air defense systems, 100 meters from the locality,” the same source said.

Given the proximity to the Romanian border, specialized teams are on standby to conduct searches for any drone fragments that may have landed on Romanian soil. The air alert was lifted at 10:12 a.m.

Earlier the same morning, at 6:57 a.m., radar systems had detected another drone in Ukrainian airspace heading toward northern Tulcea County. Air defense systems were placed on alert, and a RO-Alert warning was issued at 7:17 a.m., but the drone did not enter Romanian airspace, the ministry also said.

On Wednesday, however, Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets and issued a public alert after a Russian drone briefly entered its airspace during attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports. It exited north of Sulina, flying only over territorial waters.

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