AUR senator leader Peiu demands firm protest against Russia over drone incursions, breaking with party's silence

Petrișor Peiu, leader of the AUR senators, has broken ranks with his party's official stance by explicitly naming Russia as the aggressor after three drone incursions into Romanian airspace over three days, and demanding firm diplomatic protests and more cost-effective counter-drone measures. His stance contrasts with party leader George Simion, who has not posted publicly for three days, and with AUR's official statements, which focus exclusively on criticising the Romanian government.

The incursions

Three drones entering Romanian airspace were shot down over a three-day period. One was confirmed to be of a type used by the Russian Federation in the war in Ukraine. On Friday, a drone was downed in Buzău county, at Padina. Between initial detection and neutralisation, 83 minutes elapsed, according to an AUR statement.

The party questioned how an unidentified drone could penetrate so deeply into national airspace and why Romania lacked ground-based short-range counter-drone systems to neutralise the threat closer to the border. Four fighter jets (two Eurofighter and two F-16) were scrambled, and a missile of an undisclosed type was used to bring down a single drone.

Peiu's position

Peiu told G4Media and posted on Facebook that Russia must be protested firmly every time its drones enter Romanian airspace, and suggested stronger diplomatic actions may also be needed.

Față de Rusia trebuie protestat ferm, de fiecare dată când drone rusești intră în spațiul nostru aerian. Poate și alte acțiuni diplomatice, mai puternice.

He insisted that any drone entering national airspace must be shot down regardless of its origin state, and only afterwards should a firm protest be lodged with the state to which the drone belongs. Peiu added that the drones should probably be shot down with more efficient and cheaper weapons.

Probabil că ar trebui doborâte cu arme mai eficiente și mai ieftine. Mi se pare că războiul în Marea Neagră va escalada, tocmai de aceea România trebuie să găsească urgent o soluție de doborâre a dronelor la un cost rezonabil, suportabil pentru un buget "găurit" ca al nostru.

He warned that the war in the Black Sea will escalate, making time an essential factor for Romania.

AUR's official line and Simion's silence

AUR's official communication after the Padina downing described the incident as "a tactical success for the military, but a strategic failure of governance." While praising the professionalism of F-16 pilots, the party directed all criticism at the Ministry of Defence and the government, accusing them of delaying procurement decisions. The official statement avoided naming any state involved in the armed conflict.

George Simion, AUR's president, has not posted any message on social media for three days, an unusual silence noted by multiple outlets. Dan Dungaciu, another party figure, criticised Romanian officials for what he considers passivity in equipping the army.

Cost concerns

Peiu stressed the financial dimension, arguing that using four fighter jets and an undisclosed missile type to counter a single drone is disproportionate. He called for Romania to urgently find a drone-downing solution at a reasonable cost, sustainable for what he described as a "holed" national budget. The 83-minute detection-to-neutralisation timeline and the deep penetration of the drone into Buzău county were cited by AUR as evidence that existing procedures and equipment are inadequate.