Romanian F-16 fighter jets destroyed two drones in their territorial waters in the Black Sea on October 17, 2026. This action was confirmed by the Romanian Ministry of Defense and was carried out following recent attacks on chemical tankers near the Romanian coast.
Recent attacks and maritime threats
The two drones entered Romanian waters on October 15, 2026, at 1459 and 1501 GMT. The Romanian Ministry of Defense has not yet identified the source of these drones. In recent days, two chemical tankers were attacked near the Sulina Canal, which connects the Danube River to the Black Sea. This canal serves as an export route for Ukraine, and the occurrence of these attacks poses serious risks to commercial shipping in the region.
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Increase in airspace violations
Romania, as a NATO member, has a 614-kilometer border with Ukraine and has received numerous reports of Russian drones infiltrating its airspace since the onset of the Ukraine war in 2022. This year, the country has taken action to destroy invading drones, and these operations indicate rising tensions in the region. According to reports, the two aforementioned tankers were also targeted by Russian drones, and Romanian officials are trying to locate seven missing crew members.
In the past 10 days, at least five other cargo ships have also been targeted near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. These attacks have resulted in the death or disappearance of 23 sailors. Most of these incidents occurred outside NATO territorial waters.
In Moldova, which borders northeastern Romania, officials reported that a new drone crashed in an area near the Ukrainian border. Fortunately, no casualties or damages have been reported, and specialists are investigating the source of this drone. In recent months, the number of drones violating Moldovan airspace has significantly increased, with five identified as Russian drones crashing on Moldovan territory in less than 17 hours.
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