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Romanian F-16s shoot down two Russian-made drones over Black Sea
Two Romanian Air Force F-16s shot down two Geran-family attack drones that violated the country’s airspace over its Black Sea territorial waters near Sulina on the evening of Oct. 17. A NATO military source told Reuters the drones were Russian.
Two Romanian F-16s on an air policing mission shot down two drones that entered Romanian airspace over the Black Sea on Saturday evening, the country’s Defense Ministry said.
The jets took off at 5:43 p.m. from the 86th Air Base at Borcea after radar detected aerial targets about 120 kilometers east of Snake Island heading southwest, the ministry said. The first drone entered Romanian airspace at 5:59 p.m. and was shot down at 6:01 p.m. about 25 kilometers southeast of Sulina. The second entered at 6:01 p.m. and was destroyed at 6:05 p.m. about 20 kilometers east of Sulina.
The ministry described the targets as jet-powered attack drones from the Geran family, Russia’s version of the Iranian-designed Shahed. A NATO military source told Reuters the drones were Russian. There was no official reaction from Moscow.
‘Targets engaged and neutralized’
The next day, the ministry released cockpit images with the caption: “Targets spotted, identified, engaged and neutralized!” Defense Minister Radu Miruță said the first drone was downed within two minutes of entering Romanian airspace.
Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu called the Black Sea a “critical maritime artery” for global exports of grain, energy and industrial goods. “The Black Sea will be safe again,” she said.
NATO to discuss Black Sea security
At Romania’s request, NATO’s North Atlantic Council will hold a special session on defense and deterrence in the Black Sea on Oct. 20. Romanian President Nicușor Dan earlier confirmed that two tankers that caught fire near Sulina last week had been hit by drones.
According to Romanian Defense Ministry data, the country’s radars have recorded 54 drone incursions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 35 of them in 2026.
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