Romanian jet fighter shoots down suspected Russian drone

The incident adds to concern that Moscow’s war on Ukraine risks spilling over to entangle neighbouring NATO states.A Romanian fighter jet has shot down a drone, suspected to be Russian, that breached the country’s airspace.The incident on Friday marked the first time the Eastern European country has intercepted an intruding aircraft since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, President Nicusor Dan noted.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Five killed in occupied West Bank after Israeli settlers attacklist 2 of 3What to know about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, take twolist 3 of 3‘I lost my home twice’: Sudanese mothers caught between two warsend of listHowever, concern that Moscow’s war on Ukraine risks entangling neighbouring NATO states is on the rise. Romania is one of several alliance members to confront repeated stray drones recently, as Russia and Ukraine launch hundreds of drones daily.Dan reported that a Romanian F-16 jet shot down the drone after it entered the country’s airspace, adding that the fighter had shot over an uninhabited area.A Romanian military source told the Reuters news agency that Russia was the suspected point of origin, given the pattern of previous incursions in the region.A marine drone self-detonated in Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanta near an oil terminal in June [File: Reuters]Romania’s Ministry of National Defence said a radar first detected the drone about 20km (12 miles) east of the Black Sea port of Sulina, before it crossed into national airspace on a path through Braila, Fetesti and Buzau county.Two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets, deployed to Romania under NATO’s air policing mission, were joined by two Romanian F-16s. One F-16 engaged the target with an air-to-air missile, downing it over unpopulated ground near the village of Padina. No casualties or injuries were reported.Romania, an EU and NATO member sharing a border with Ukraine, has recorded dozens of drone incursions since the war began. This incident marked the first successful interception.