The Romanian Defense Minister, Radu Miruta, reported this Sunday that two Spanish fighter jets deployed in the NATO mission intercepted an unidentified drone after it violated Romanian airspace during a surveillance patrol.
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“At 04:44 hours, the target was detected entering Romanian national airspace, 24 kilometers north of Galati. At that moment, two Spanish F-18 fighter jets, which had already been put on alert as a precautionary measure, received authorization to intervene,” confirmed the Romanian official in a post on his social media.
Romania shares a land border of about 614 kilometers with Ukraine
According to Miruta, the drone — its origin has not been confirmed — was intercepted and destroyed between the towns of Baleni and Cudalbi, in the southeast of the country, near the border with Moldova.
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“Congratulations to the Spanish pilots and the Romanian military personnel at the command center for a successful mission! Romania is defending its airspace, and our allies are by our side. Surveillance, rapid response, and allied solidarity: these are the concrete guarantees of our security,” celebrated the Defense chief.
Romania, which is “on the front line of the European Union’s defense” according to the minister, shares a land border of approximately 614 kilometers with Ukraine, and has closely witnessed how Russian drones have violated its airspace on several occasions since the military operation against Kiev began in February 2022.
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