Journal De Malte - Romania summons Russian ambassador over drone 'threat'

The incursion comes days after fellow NATO member Poland said it had shot down Russian drones which had violated its airspace as Moscow launched a barrage against Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of "testing" Romania and wanting to "bring the war" to Poland and the Baltic with the intrusions.

Earlier on Sunday, NATO member Romania had said that Moscow's actions pose a "new challenge" to Black Sea security.

Foreign Minister Oana Toiu also announced that Russia's ambassador to Bucharest, Vladimir Lipaev, would be summoned over Saturday's drone incident to the ministry.

After the meeting on Sunday evening, the ministry said in a statement that Romania had "conveyed its strong protest against this unacceptable and irresponsible act, which constitutes a violation of (its) sovereignty".

"Such recurring incidents contribute to the escalation and amplification of threats to regional security," said the statement, adding that Moscow was "urgently requested... to prevent any future violations".

Poland had already denounced the intrusion of Russian drones into its airspace, calling on Moscow to avoid further "provocations". Polish fighter jets scrambled Saturday in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine.

- 'New security challenge' -

Romania has had several drone fragments crash on its territory since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, especially as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian ports.

In a statement, Romania's defence ministry said it "strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that they represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area".

It added that "such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's lack of respect for international law."

In his evening address on Sunday, Zelensky repeated his argument that Russia was seeking to expand its invasion of his country.

"Everyone can see that the Russians are exploring how to bring the war to Poland and the Baltic states. The Russian army is also testing Romania," the Ukrainian leader said.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the Russian action a "reckless" threat to security.

"The violation of Romanian airspace by Russian drones is yet another unacceptable breach of an EU member state's sovereignty," Kallas wrote on X.

"This continued reckless escalation threatens regional security. We stand in solidarity with Romania. I am in close contact with the Romanian government."

- Jets scrambled -

Russia has not yet commented since Romania reported late Saturday that its airspace had been breached by a drone during a Russian attack in neighbouring Ukraine, but has denied targeting Poland.

Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets, which "detected a drone in national airspace" and tracked it until it dropped off the radar, the defence ministry said.

In its statement Sunday, the ministry said that a "Geran drone used by" Russia had entered Romanian airspace.

It added that the drone "orbited for about 50 minutes, from northeast of (the village of) Chilia Veche to southwest of Izmail, and left national airspace near the town of Pardina, heading towards Ukraine".

Romania's fighter jets were "supported by German allies... with two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft", which monitored the situation.

The drone did not fly over populated areas and did not pose an imminent threat to the safety of the population, said the statement.

Toiu said on X that she will "raise Russia's actions at (the) UN General Assembly, urging a strict international adherence to sanctions".

In February, the Romanian parliament adopted a law allowing the country to shoot down drones breaching its airspace.

G.Grima--JdM