NATO Heightens Security After Russian Drone Breaches Romanian Airspace Amid Ukraine Strikes

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ramped up its security after a Russian drone violated Romanian airspace last night.
 
 
The incident prompted Romania to scramble F-16 fighter jets to track the unmanned aircraft for nearly an hour. The latest incursion occurred while Russia was launching a renewed barrage of attacks on Ukrainian ports. It also came days after 19 Russian drones infiltrated the Polish airspace, prompting the government to enforce Article 4 of NATO. The latest Russian incursions in Eastern European nations have led to a rise in concern over a war spillover in Eastern Europe.
 
 
Romania’s Ministry of National Defence reassured the public that the drone did not fly over populated areas and did not pose an imminent threat. However, they maintained that teams are preparing to search for possible debris.
Meanwhile, Romanian Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu said the F-16 pilots came close to taking down the drone as it was flying very low before it left national airspace and headed toward Ukraine.
 
 
Romania, a member of both the European Union and NATO, shares a 650 km border with Ukraine. The country has been dealing with Russian drone fragments falling onto its territory repeatedly since Russia began waging war on Ukraine.
 
 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the Russian drone over Romania penetrated about 10 kilometres into NATO territory and remained in the alliance’s airspace for nearly 50 minutes. He called the moves an “obvious expansion of the war by Russia.