Spanish F-18 shoots down likely Russian drone over Romania in fourth 2026 interception

Incident timeline

In the early hours of Sunday, 16 August, Romanian air defense radars detected an unidentified aerial object entering Romanian airspace from Moldova at 4:44 local time (3:44 Polish time), approximately 24 km north of the city of Galați, a Danube-side city near the border with Ukraine. An air alert was declared for the region, and Romanian and allied fighter jets were scrambled. Two Spanish F-18 Hornets from the 57th Air Base "Mihail Kogălniceanu," operating under NATO's Air Policing mission, were dispatched. One pilot established radar contact with the target at 5:01 and received authorization to engage, subsequently shooting down the drone. Debris fell on uninhabited terrain between the villages of Băleni and Cudalbi in Galați county, causing no damage. The air alert for the region was lifted at 5:20. The Romanian Ministry of Defense stated it continuously monitors the situation and informs allies of such events in real time.

NATO assessment

NATO Headquarters military spokesperson, US Army Colonel Martin O'Donnell, said on Sunday that the drone appeared to be Russian.

Additional details regarding Sunday's incident are still being investigated, but the drone appears to be Russian.

O'Donnell added that the Alliance remains vigilant and ready to defend against any threat. The Romanian Ministry of Defense did not specify the type or origin of the downed drone in its initial statement. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruta confirmed the interception. Reuters noted that this was the fourth such interception in Romania in 2026.

Pattern of incursions

Romania, a NATO member sharing a 614 km land border with Ukraine (one source cites 650 km), has experienced repeated airspace violations since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Between 24 and 26 July, Romanian F-16s supported by Italian Eurofighters shot down three Shahed-type military drones under the NATO Air Policing mission. In the days preceding Sunday's incident, a drone crashed near Tulcea on Friday, and debris from another drone was found near the strategically important port of Constanța the day before. On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, two drones entered Romanian airspace, and on Tuesday Romanian military divers destroyed two Gerbera-type drones drifting in Romania's exclusive economic zone near the Neptun Deep gas project on the Black Sea.

Broader context

On 12 August, the North Atlantic Council convened to discuss airspace violations of Alliance member states. NATO assessed that Russia bears full responsibility for airspace violations that are dangerous and unacceptable, and indicate Moscow's growing tolerance for risk. Romania's parliament passed legislation in 2025 authorizing authorities to shoot down and seize drones entering Romanian airspace. According to the Ministry of Defense, from 2022 through the end of last month, Romanian authorities confirmed 33 cases of drone incursions and approximately 50 instances of drone debris falling on Romanian territory after being downed by Ukrainian forces. Eighteen of those violations were recorded in 2026. One of the most serious incidents occurred on the night of 28 to 29 May, when a drone carrying an explosive payload struck a residential building in Galați, injuring two people. Romanian President Nicusor Dan stated in early June that a sea drone which exploded at the port of Constanța on the Black Sea was Ukrainian.