Romanian fighters shoot down two drones over the Black Sea
Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighters shot down two drones after they entered national airspace on 17 October. The interceptions took place over Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea. Radar had detected targets moving southwest east of Snake Island. Authorities did not identify the drones’ operator.
Geopolitics··Night
Two drones intercepted over territorial waters
Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighters shot down two drones that entered the country’s airspace on 17 October. Both interceptions took place over Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea.[1], [2]
Radar surveillance had detected a group of aerial targets moving southwest, approximately 120 kilometres east of Snake Island, the Ukrainian island in the Black Sea. Two fighters on air-policing duty took off from the 86th Air Base at Borcea in Romania to intercept them.[1]
Separate fighters engaged the two targets
The first drone entered national airspace before being destroyed by one fighter. A second entered separately and was shot down by the other aircraft. The ministry classified both targets as drones but did not identify their operator, launch point, mission or payload. It said further information would follow after the mission.[1]
Earlier interceptions preceded a new legal power
Romania adopted legislation in 2025 allowing action against drones entering its airspace unlawfully, including their destruction. Romanian F-16s had destroyed three drones in July. In August, a Spanish F-18 on a North Atlantic Treaty Organization air-policing mission neutralised another unmanned aircraft near the Romanian city of Galati. Repeated airspace incidents have affected the Danube and Black Sea area during Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.[1]
