Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down three Russian drones over Romanian territorial waters in three consecutive days ending Sunday, July 26, 2026.
The intercepts mark a sharp shift in NATO's tactical response to airspace incursions along its eastern flank.
>>> Man Dies After Being Found Injured Beside Fatbike in Almere
The military interventions followed a series of drone violations since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Romanian authorities scrambled jets from the Fetești airbase under NATO command after confirming the unmanned aerial vehicles were of Russian origin, including a Shahed-type model.
Diplomatic and Military Response
In response to the violations, Romania's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to Bucharest on Monday and expelled a Russian diplomat, giving them five days to leave the country.
At least 19 drones entered Romanian airspace this year alone, with 50 total incursions or debris findings recorded since 2022.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan strongly condemned the repeated breaches. "It is unacceptable and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romanian airspace," he said.
He emphasized the joint response with allies: "Such actions are unacceptable and we treat them with all seriousness, together with our allies."
Romanian military officials noted that the tactical shift to destroy incoming threats developed after Romanian pilots successfully shot down a stray drone over Estonia in May while deployed on a NATO mission in the Baltic region.
Beyond using F-16 fighters, Romania and Poland have acquired the MEROPS counter-drone system, which deploys short-range counter-drones to neutralize incoming targets at low costs across NATO's border zone.
