Romania F-16s shoot down three Russian drones, expels Russian ambassador

While European security experts and the public focus on Poland and the Baltics—which face increased threats—another section of NATO's eastern border remains under constant pressure. Romania must defend itself despite lacking a functioning government and facing severe public finance challenges.

Pilot Vows Protection Amid Drone Incursions

"We are there to protect them, day and night, seven days a week, all year round. When they are on vacation, when they are at work, we are up there. Maybe you can't see us, but we will protect you," said the Romanian F-16 pilot who shot down two Russian drones within 24 hours over the weekend.

The interview was published by the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, without revealing the pilot's identity.

Weekend Drone Interceptions

Since last Friday, three Russian drones entered Romanian airspace over the weekend—one each day. Romanian F-16 pilots engaged and shot down every one of them.

This was not the pilots' first such operation. A Romanian fighter jet had previously downed a drone during an air-policing mission in the Baltics.

Nevertheless, eliminating a Russian UAV on home territory marked a significant success for the Romanian Ministry of Defence and the military.

Rising Frequency of Incursions

Romania has experienced more than 80 drone incursions into its airspace since Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine began in 2022. Currently, a drone incursion occurs nearly every week.

The most serious incident came in May, when a drone struck a residential building in Galați, injuring a mother and her child—the first European casualties of the Russian war outside Ukraine.

Public Pressure Spurs Military Response

The May incident sparked debate within Romania about why the military did not strike the drone and protect residents.

"Probably this was a kind of national trigger to the reaction we had," said Romanian defence analyst Radu Tudor. In short, military authorities decided enough was enough and instructed pilots to engage intruding aircraft when possible.

Russian Test, Not Coincidence

Following the weekend's events, Bucharest expelled Russia's ambassador to the country.

"We believe that this is actually a Russian test," analyst Radu Magdin explained. "It's not a coincidence that one day after another they keep sending drones."

While the fighter-jet pilots passed the Russian "test" with flying colours, Romanian experts noted the asymmetry: cheap Russian drones are being downed by rockets worth half a million euros.