Spanish F-18 fighter jet shoots down drone that breached Romanian airspace

Published Aug 16, 09:13 AM UTC

Romania's defense ministry reported that a Spanish F-18 fighter jet, operating under NATO air-policing duties, shot down a drone that breached Romanian airspace near the border with Ukraine and Moldova early Sunday morning. The drone entered from Moldova and debris landed in an unpopulated area of the Galati region. This incident highlights the ongoing spillover risks for NATO states bordering Ukraine amid Russia's war. Romanian authorities have found drone fragments on their soil multiple times since 2023, linked to Russian attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports. Spain recently deployed seven F-18s, support aircraft, and nearly 200 personnel to Romania to bolster NATO airspace protection. Last month, Romania shot down a drone for the first time since the 2022 invasion. Similar airspace violations have occurred in Poland and Latvia, where Italian jets recently downed a drone.