Two Spanish Nato fighter jets shot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace on the morning of August 16, 2026, according to Romania's Ministry of Defence. The interception took place around 4.45am, and the drone was destroyed roughly 15 minutes later, with wreckage landing in an unpopulated area between two towns.
Drone originated from Moldova
The ministry did not confirm the drone's origin but said radars detected it entering Romania from neighbouring Moldova. Romania, a member of both the European Union and Nato, shares a 382-mile land border with Ukraine, and Russian drones have repeatedly entered its airspace since the war began four-and-a-half years ago.
Defence Minister Radu Miruţă said in a social media post that his country is 'in the front line of defence of the European Union' and added: 'Romania is defending its airspace, and our allies stand with us. Vigilance, rapid response, and allied solidarity—these are the concrete guarantees of our security.'
Fourth drone shot down this year
According to news agency Reuters, this was the fourth drone shot down in Romania this year. The incident follows a series of recent events highlighting regional tensions. In May, a Russian drone struck a block of flats in the eastern town of Galați, close to the Ukrainian border, injuring two people and starting a fire that prompted an evacuation. Last month, a cruise missile believed to be Russian landed in a field in Poland, leaving a crater 33 feet wide.
Overnight attack on Kryvyi Rih
Meanwhile, an overnight missile and drone attack on Kryvyi Rih, the Ukrainian hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky, killed a woman and wounded six others. Zelensky also reported successful missile attacks on a Russian electronics manufacturer, an airbase, and an oil facility deep inside the country.
The latest shootdown underscores the ongoing threat to Nato's eastern flank and the alliance's commitment to defending its member states' airspace. The wreckage is reported to have landed in a safe area, and no casualties have been reported.
