EUROPE / FOREIGN DRONE EVENTS

Flight · Romania

Drone reported as Russian enters Romanian airspace near Sfântu Gheorghe

· Sfântu Gheorghe · Sulina

Reported foreign

On 25 February 2026 radar detected a drone entering Romanian airspace over territorial waters near Sfântu Gheorghe, in Tulcea, during attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube. The drone left it north of Sulina. The incursion was confirmed as short; one earlier report put it at about 20 minutes, but that figure is unverified and the exact duration has not been established.

The drone was reported as Russian, and Romania’s defence ministry (MApN) connected the incident to Russian strikes on Ukraine. Its model is unknown.

Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled at 17:50 local time, and an RO-Alert warning was issued at 18:07. The alert ended at about 18:45. No harm or debris was reported.

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Image from the Newsweek România / MApN statement report: Romanian airspace incursion, 25 February 2026
Image · Newsweek România / MApN statement · Open report ↗

Attribution and uncertainty

Origin / operator / attribution
Reported Russian; MApN connected incident to Russian strikes on Ukraine
Investigation / uncertainty
Short incursion confirmed; exact duration not established in reopened statement.

Sources · 1

  1. Newsweek România / MApN statement ↗Romanian airspace incursion, 25 February 2026

Full record

Flight

Map positions are approximate anchors for the named place, not verified incident coordinates.

Reported date
2026-02-25
Date basis
25 February; EET (UTC+2). Prior report gave about 20 minutes; retained only as unverified detail.
Location / jurisdiction
Sfântu Gheorghe–north of Sulina, Tulcea; airspace over territorial waters
Event categories
Airspace incursion; tracking; fighter scramble
What was reported
Radar detection during attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports.
Aircraft / vessel / quantity
1 UAV; model unknown
Origin / operator / attribution
Reported Russian; MApN connected incident to Russian strikes on Ukraine
Damage / casualties / disruption
No harm or debris reported
Response / outcome
Two F-16s scrambled 17:50; RO-Alert 18:07; alert ended about 18:45.
Investigation / uncertainty
Short incursion confirmed; exact duration not established in reopened statement.
Route / entry mechanism
Entered near Sfântu Gheorghe; left north of Sulina
Explosive payload
Not reported
Counting / links
One incident record; no duplicate stages added.
Research provenance
Prior research; relevant event source rechecked during export

Record E002. Record fields keep the register’s original wording.