Russian Drones in Romania: 13 Incidents and a Historic Defense Agreement

A Growing Threat in Romanian Airspace

So far in 2026, Romania has recorded at least 13 incidents in which Russian unmanned aircraft have entered its airspace, mainly through the Danube Delta region. The Romanian Ministry of Defense has deployed forces on multiple occasions amid suspicion of drone presence near its border with Ukraine.

Civilian Alerts

Romanian authorities have issued alerts to citizens due to a surge in incidents with Russian army drones near the border with Ukraine. One drone briefly entered Romanian airspace north of the city of Sulina.

Combat aircraft from Romania, Germany and Spain have scrambled after Romanian radars detected drones near their airspace. A Spanish Eurofighter took off from a base in Romania after a Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2026.

Historic Ukraine-Romania Agreement

On March 12, 2026, the presidents of Ukraine (Volodymyr Zelensky) and Romania (Nicușor Dan) signed an agreement to jointly manufacture defensive drones on Romanian territory. The project has funding of up to €200 million (approximately $230 million).

The Merops System

The Merops anti-drone system was deployed in Poland and Romania in November 2025 after Russian attack drones repeatedly entered NATO airspace. This system represents an enhanced defensive capability to counter Russian drone threats in the region.

Implications for NATO

These incidents represent an unprecedented security challenge for NATO, as they test the limits of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The key question is: does the entry of an unmanned drone into a member country airspace constitute an act of aggression?