Nato member Romania says Russian drone debris from attacks on Ukraine found on its territory
- The defence alliance has been briefed about the incident, with President Iohannis calling it a ‘serious violation’ of his country’s sovereignty if confirmed
- The only other recorded example so far of the war possibly spilling into a Nato member state was when a missile struck a farm in Poland killing two people.
Romania’s defence minister said on Wednesday that pieces apparently of a drone from Russia’s recent attacks on Ukraine’s port on the Danube River have been found on the territory of his country. Romania is a Nato member.
Angel Tilvar, the minister, told local news channel Antena 3 CNN that parts of what was most likely a drone were discovered in the eastern Tulcea county, an area of the Danube that forms a natural border between Romania and war-torn Ukraine.
“I confirm that in this area, pieces that may be of a drone were found,” he said, adding that the pieces did not pose a threat.
It is unclear if Romania has determined when or from where the drone was launched. There has been a series of recent attacks by Russia on Danube ports in Ukraine, which are close to Romania, a Nato member since 2004.
Tilvar’s comments come after Romania’s ministry of national defence “categorically denied” claims made on Monday by the spokesman of Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, who said that Shahed drones launched by Russia on Sunday night fell and exploded on Romanian territory.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis also denied those claims on Tuesday, saying that the attacks were “verified 800 metres (yards) from our border, so very, very close”.
