Russian drones detected 33 km from Romanian border; RO-Alert issued in Tulcea, helicopter scrambled

Night incident

Russian forces launched drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine overnight on 23-24 July. Romania's military radar detected a group of aerial targets at around 00:10, moving approximately 33 km north of the country's river border with Ukraine. The Ministry of National Defence (MApN) confirmed the detection in a statement.

During the night of 23 to 24 July, the Russian Federation executed a series of drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine. The MApN radar surveillance system detected, around 00:10, a group of aerial targets evolving at a distance of approximately 33 km north of the river border with Romania.

In response, a Romanian Air Force IAR-330 Puma Socat helicopter took off at 00:48 to monitor the situation. The National Military Command Centre notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, and a RO-Alert message was sent to residents of Tulcea county at 00:56. The air alert was lifted at 01:33. MApN stated that no unauthorised entry into national airspace or ground impact was reported.

Ukrainian Air Force channels reported that drone groups were heading toward the southern Odesa region, in the direction of Vylkove (Vâlcove) in the Danube Delta, close to the Romanian border. Guided missiles were also launched toward Chornomorsk, Tatarbunary, Odesa and Maiaky. The attacks were part of a wider wave that included dozens of drones and airstrikes across Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv and Poltava regions.

Afternoon alert

Earlier on 23 July, a separate RO-Alert was issued for northern Tulcea county in the afternoon. The message warned of the possibility of objects falling from the airspace and advised residents to stay calm, shelter in basements or civil protection shelters, or remain indoors away from windows and exterior walls. The estimated duration was 90 minutes. Emergency services reported no 112 calls following that alert.

There is a possibility of objects falling from the airspace. Keep calm! Take shelter in basements or civil protection shelters. In the absence of a shelter, stay inside your home, away from windows and exterior walls. Estimated duration: 90 minutes.

Pattern of border incidents

The latest events are part of a series of drone-related alerts near the Romanian-Ukrainian border. On 20 July, radar detected a group of aerial targets about 23 km northwest of Vâlcove, Ukraine. A RO-Alert was sent at 19:06, and two Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons stationed at Mihail Kogălniceanu air base scrambled at 19:09, followed by two Romanian F-16s from Borcea at 20:13. No airspace violations occurred. On the afternoon of 19 July, radar spotted targets 15 km east of Vâlcove, triggering another RO-Alert. Fragments of drones have previously been found on Romanian territory in Tulcea county.

Response and monitoring

MApN said it continuously monitors the situation and informs allied structures in real time. The repeated alerts reflect heightened vigilance along NATO's eastern flank as Russian strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure near the Danube delta persist. No damage or casualties on Romanian soil have been reported from the latest incidents.