Romanian Jets Scramble After Russian Drone Breach

Lead: Romania’s air force scrambled two F-16 jets on Saturday after a Russian drone entered its airspace near Chilia Veche, monitored for 50 minutes before returning to Ukraine. Nut Graf: The incursion marks the second breach of NATO airspace this week, heightening regional tensions and prompting lawmakers to debate national security measures.

Drone Incursion Raises Alarm

Romanian defense officials detected the drone roughly 20 km southwest of Chilia Veche as it loitered over the Danube frontier. Citizens in Tulcea County were warned to seek shelter while fighter jets from the 86th Air Base and allied Eurofighters tracked the unmanned aircraft until it vanished from radar.

Zelensky Reaction: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the breach “an obvious expansion of the war by Russia” and urged stricter sanctions and collective defense measures.

Political Fallout and No-Confidence Debate

In Bucharest, the Senate prepared to vote on a no-confidence motion against Education Minister Daniel David, filed by the nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians. Opponents criticize austerity measures, while the minister argues his policies preserved staff salaries and scholarships through year-end.

Rising Border Pressure

Since February 2022, over 26,000 Ukrainians have crossed into Romania illegally, mostly via Maramureş. Border Police head Florin Coman reported crossings through mountainous terrain and warned of dangerous routes managed across Satu Mare, Maramureş, and Suceava counties.

NATO Exercises Strengthen Eastern Flank

NATO will stage the multinational DACIAN FALL 2025 exercise from October 20 to November 13 in Romania and Bulgaria. More than 5,000 troops and 1,200 vehicles from ten allies will train at ranges in Cincu, Capu Midia, Babadag, and across the border in Novo Selo, Bulgaria. Nighttime convoys aim to limit local disruption.

Romania’s swift military and political responses underscore mounting security concerns along NATO’s eastern frontier.