Romania has downed two suspicious disposable drones believed to be Russian in NATO airspace. This action was carried out on Saturday using F-16 fighter jets, and the Romanian Defense Minister stated that these drones were likely of the Garan-4 type, which is considered an updated version of the Iranian Shahed drone design.
Details of the Drone Shootdown
The Romanian Defense Minister, Radu Miruta, announced that the first drone was downed at a position approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of Sulina, a busy port at the entrance to the strategic Sulina Canal. The second drone was also targeted about 11 nautical miles east of Sulina. In total, these two drones remained in Romanian (NATO) airspace for seven minutes before being shot down.
Context of Maritime Threats
This action comes as Russian forces continuously attack commercial vessels off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania to restrict civilian traffic to Ukraine. In the past two weeks, more than seven attacks on ships in this area have been reported. Among these attacks was one on the tanker “Win Trader,” which was anchored near Sulina on Thursday. This drone damaged the upper structure of the tanker and caused a fire. Despite the harsh conditions at sea, five crew members were rescued, while seven others remain missing, and Romanian authorities have initiated search and rescue operations.
Attacks on Tankers and Their Consequences
The President of Romania, Nicolae Dan, announced that two tankers in Romanian territorial waters were attacked by drones. The tanker “Win Trader,” sailing under the San Marino flag, caught fire on October 15, approximately 13 nautical miles southeast of the Sulina Canal. Of the 12 crew members on board the tanker, five were rescued, and seven others remain missing. Another tanker named “Yara G,” sailing under the Comoros flag, was attacked on October 14 in Romanian territorial waters, resulting in a fire, but the crew managed to extinguish it.
A NATO military source has stated that the drones responsible for these fires are of Russian origin. Romanian authorities are continuously conducting search and rescue operations, and investigations are ongoing in this regard.
