Romania admits Russian drone crash on its territory
6 September, 2023 The explosion of a suspected Russian Shahed UAV in Romania. September 4, 2023. Photo credits: Oleh Nikolenko/Facebook
Romanian Defense Minister admitted that fragments similar to the wreckage of a drone were found near the banks of the Danube on the Romanian side. Minister of Defense Angel Tilvar confirmed in an exclusive commentary to Antena 3 CNN that experts had found the drone wreckage. They were found near the village of Plauru, on the territory of the Tulcea community, across from the Ukrainian town of Izmail.
The settlements are separated only by the Danube riverbed. At first, Bucharest categorically denied that Russian Shahed drones by which Russia attacked Ukrainian ports on Danube, had fallen on Romanian territory. "We have examined a very large area, including the one that was publicly reported, and I can confirm that we have found fragments that could be drone debris in the area," said Angel Tilvar.
According to him, the found fragments do not pose a threat.
Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar speaks to the press during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon, Washington, March 30, 2023. Photo credits: AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta
"We see that in a fairly short time there have been a series of Russian attacks against Ukrainian port infrastructure and warehouses, and I think it is important for us to increase vigilance measures.
We will have more observation points, more patrols," the minister added, noting that he was going to talk to the authorities of the towns closest to the border with Ukraine. As previously reported, on September 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, citing the State Border Guard Service, reported that Russian Shahed drones had crashed in Romania during an attack on Ukrainian ports on the Danube on the night of September 4. The Ministry also attached a photo of the explosion on the other side of the Danube.
The Romanian side actually denied the incident and stated that "the Russian attack did not generate direct military threats to Romania's national territory or territorial waters." After that, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that Ukraine has photo evidence of Shahed drones falling on Romanian territory.
The drone detonation site
In February 2023, Romania also recorded the flight of Russian missiles near its borders. Kyiv then reported that two Russian Kalibr cruise missiles had crossed Ukraine's border with Moldova and flown in Romanian airspace.
Since the beginning of the Russian strikes in August 2023 on the infrastructure of Izmail and Reni, Romania has also checked whether drones or debris from them had fallen on its territory.