Bucharest, Romania – A Russian drone penetrated Romanian airspace for approximately 50 minutes, traveling 10 kilometers into NATO territory, prompting Romania to scramble combat aircraft on September 14, 2025. This incident follows a week of heightened tensions, including Poland's military response to multiple Russian drone incursions into its own airspace, where nearly 20 drones were detected and some reportedly shot down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned these actions, asserting they represent "an obvious expansion of the war by Russia."
The Romanian Ministry of National Defence confirmed that two F-16 fighter jets were launched to intercept the unmanned aerial vehicle, which was tracked near the village of Chilia Veche before it disappeared from radar. This incursion occurred amidst ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure along the Danube River border. Earlier in the week, Poland deployed helicopters and aircraft, raising its ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems to their highest alert levels in response to the drone threat.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denounced the incursions as “reckless and unacceptable,” reiterating the alliance's "ironclad" commitment to collective defense under Article 5. He confirmed NATO has significantly reinforced its eastern flank with additional air defense systems, fighter jets, and ground troops. General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), described the incidents as "deliberate provocations that demand a robust and unified response," announcing further deployments of Patriot missile systems and advanced radar units.
President Zelenskyy emphasized the calculated nature of these drone operations, stating, "The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air. This cannot be a coincidence, a mistake, or the initiative of some lower-level commanders." He called for immediate preventive action, including "Sanctions against Russia... Tariffs against Russian trade," and the establishment of a new collective defense system, a proposal NATO leaders are currently discussing alongside adaptations to existing mechanisms.
The repeated violations have intensified debate within NATO regarding a unified response, with some members pushing for harsher economic measures against Moscow. While the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern, former President Donald Trump suggested he would impose "major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA." These incidents underscore the escalating risks along NATO's eastern border and the urgent need for a cohesive allied strategy.