Two Eurofighter Typhoon jets of the Royal Air Force were recently scrambled from an air base in Romania following reports of Russian drone activity near the Romanian border. Romania’s Ministry of National Defence of Romania stated that “Russian forces resumed drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine near the river border with Romania in Tulcea County.” Romanian radar systems detected unmanned aerial vehicles approaching the country’s airspace, after which two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft took off from Fetești Air Base to conduct an air policing mission.
The Romanian authorities reported that the fighter aircraft established radar contact with a target located approximately 1.5 km from Reni, over Ukrainian territory, and that “the pilots were authorized to engage the drones.” Ground-based radar tracked a group of targets near Reni, where several explosions were subsequently recorded. Shortly afterward, residents of Galați notified emergency services about an object falling in the Bariera Traian area. Drone debris was later recovered from multiple locations by police and military personnel. The fall caused damage to a farm building and an electricity pylon; there were no casualties.
Romania stated that it “strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation” and emphasized that the incident represents “a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea region.” According to the Ministry of National Defence of Romania, such incidents demonstrate disregard for international law and pose risks not only to the safety of Romanian citizens but also to the collective security of NATO.
After the incident received wider attention, the Ministry of Defence clarified that Eurofighter Typhoon jets of the Royal Air Force had indeed been scrambled from Borcea Air Base, but returned without engaging any Russian targets and did not enter Ukrainian airspace.
Romania later issued a follow-up statement explaining the confusion caused by its initial press release. It confirmed that the British aircraft operated exclusively within Romanian airspace and did not cross into Ukraine. According to the Ministry of National Defence of Romania, “although the pilots were authorized to engage aerial targets, no drones were shot down, as they did not violate Romanian airspace. The mission remained one of surveillance, deterrence, and readiness to respond if required.”
The clarification also addressed the incident in Galați. The Romanian side stated that “allied aircraft maintained a defensive posture, contributing to improved situational awareness and the protection of NATO airspace,” adding that the ministry “remains committed to transparency within the limits imposed by operational security considerations.”
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Source: ukdefencejournal
