Russian drones might have crashed again in Romania

30 September, 2023 Shahed-136 kamikaze drone. Illustration photo Romania is investigating alleged violations of its airspace by Russian drones and the downing of one or more of them.

This is reported by the Romanian news portal Digi24. The incident occurred during the Russian attack on Ukraine's Danube ports on the night of Saturday, September 30. Presumably, it refers to the Shahed kamikaze drones used by the Russian military to attack Ukraine.

According to the news portal, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense said that during another Russian attack on Ukrainian ports on the Danube late in the evening of September 29, an air alert was announced for residents of Tulcea and Galati counties, located near the Ukrainian cities of Izmail and Reni.

Tulcha and Galati on the map

After the groups of drones were spotted over Ukrainian territory near the Romanian border, the Ministry of National Defense alerted NATO Air Policing. "The Romanian army's radars detected a possible unauthorized entry into the country's airspace, the signal was detected on the way to Galati County," the statement said. Local residents also reported to have seen something falling from the sky, followed by the sounds of fighter jets flying at low altitude with very loud noise.

Dozens of Romanian firefighters and police officers participated in a search operation overnight in the area. The search resumed on Saturday morning, but nothing has been found yet.

The explosion of a suspected Russian Shahed UAV in Romania. September 4, 2023.

Photo credits: Oleh Nikolenko/Facebook

As previously reported, Romania recorded several incidents of drones crashing during Russian attacks on the Odesa region of Ukraine.

Shelter in Romania. September 2023. Photo credits: observatorulf.ro

Romania also built shelters for civilians living in settlements near the Ukrainian border on the banks of the Danube.

F-16 fighter.

Photo credits: NATO

The United States sent its F-16 fighter jets to Romania to further enhance NATO air policing in the Black Sea region.