Romanian Jet Destroys Russian Naval Drone in Black Sea

A Romanian F-16 fighter jet destroyed an explosive-laden naval drone on August 20, 2026, near the Neptune Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea. The drone was first detected by a merchant vessel approximately 80 nautical miles east of Constanta. Defense Minister Radu Miruca confirmed the drone was not of Ukrainian origin.

President Nicusor Dan attributed the incident to the Russian Federation, describing it as part of a pattern of irresponsible escalations. The naval strike occurred alongside separate aerial tensions near Romania's border with Ukraine. NATO scrambled two Spanish F-18 fighter jets under Alliance command after detecting aerial objects in the region.

One aerial drone crashed in an uninhabited area northeast of Grindu in Tulcea County. NATO officials stated the alliance remains in close contact with Romanian authorities to monitor the situation.