Romania Expels Russian Diplomat After Downing Four Drones

Romanian forces shot down four unauthorized drones between July 24 and July 28, 2026, signaling a shift toward kinetic intercepts of Russian aerial incursions. Romanian F-16s and Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets destroyed three drones over three consecutive days ending July 26, with sightings and shoot-downs occurring near Padina, Sfântu Gheorghe, and the territorial waters of Sulina. A fourth drone was neutralized over Buzău County on July 28.

Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, condemned the incursions as "inadmissible and intolerable," noting that the violations affected not only national territory but also NATO and European Union airspace. The Romanian Prosecutor General's Office confirmed that fragments from the downed aircraft, including a Shahed-type model, were of Russian origin. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania summoned Ambassador Vladimir Lipayev, expelled a Russian embassy employee, and recalled the Romanian ambassador from Moscow.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest rejected the accusations as a "propaganda staging" and warned that the expulsion would not remain without response. While NATO launched an investigation and officials like Secretary General Mark Rutte described Moscow's behavior as a danger, the incidents have not yet triggered a collective alliance response. Romania has recorded 33 such incursions since the start of the war in Ukraine and is considering invoking NATO Article 4 for security consultations.