EUROPE / FOREIGN DRONE EVENTS

Shot down · Romania

Spanish NATO jet downs drone reported as Russian near Galați, Romania

· Băleni · Cudalbi

Reported foreign

On 16 August 2026 a drone was shot down between Băleni and Cudalbi in Galați County, Romania, about 24 km from Galați. It had reportedly entered Romanian airspace through Moldova. A Spanish F/A-18 fighter assigned to NATO engaged it above an uninhabited area.

The drone was reported as Russian, and a NATO account described its origin as apparently Russian. Earlier reporting gave its type as Geran-2, but its exact type has not been independently verified. The shoot-down itself has been confirmed.

No casualties were reported, and no payload details were given. The wreckage was recovered and investigated.

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Image from the Antena 3 CNN / MApN / NATO report: Spanish F-18 downs drone near Galați, 16 August 2026
Video · Antena 3 CNN / MApN / NATO · Open report ↗
Image from the Wikipedia (original report source) report: 2026 drone incidents in Romania
Image · Wikipedia (original report source) · Open report ↗
Aerial frame with a targeting reticle in an Observator report where Galați County residents describe seeing the drone explode in the air.
Video · Observator (Antena 1) · Open report ↗Additional coverage, not one of the register’s sources.

Attribution and uncertainty

Origin / operator / attribution
Reported Russian; rechecked NATO account described apparent Russian origin
Investigation / uncertainty
Shoot-down confirmed in rechecked reporting; exact type not independently forensically verified in this export.

Sources · 2

  1. Antena 3 CNN / MApN / NATO ↗Spanish F-18 downs drone near Galați, 16 August 2026
  2. Wikipedia (original report source) ↗2026 drone incidents in Romania

Full record

Shot downFlightRecovery

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

Reported date
2026-08-16
Date basis
16 August; EEST
Location / jurisdiction
Between Băleni and Cudalbi, Galați County, about 24 km from Galați; EU airspace/land
Event categories
Incursion via Moldova; NATO shoot-down; debris recovery
What was reported
Drone engaged above an uninhabited area.
Aircraft / vessel / quantity
1 UAV; Geran-2 designation reported in prior chronology
Origin / operator / attribution
Reported Russian; rechecked NATO account described apparent Russian origin
Damage / casualties / disruption
No casualties reported
Response / outcome
Spanish F/A-18 assigned to NATO shot it down; wreckage investigated.
Investigation / uncertainty
Shoot-down confirmed in rechecked reporting; exact type not independently forensically verified in this export.
Route / entry mechanism
Reported entry through Moldovan airspace
Explosive payload
Not reported
Counting / links
One incident record; no duplicate stages added.
Research provenance
Prior research; relevant event source rechecked during export

Record E045. Record fields keep the register’s original wording.