Romania's Defense Minister Described How the Country Prepared to Shoot Down Drones

<span><span><span><span><span><span> Radu Miruce, Romania’s acting defense minister, stated that the country is purchasing new ground-based air defense systems to shoot down drones. At the same time, authorities are stepping up security along the coast, where debris from drones is washing ashore.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>This was reported by Digi24. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Radu Miruce noted that missions to shoot down cheap but dangerous drones are extremely costly. The SAFE program allows for the purchase of equipment to detect and neutralize drones at lower prices. Deliveries are</span></span></span></span></span></span>expected to begin next summer and continue for 2.5 years.

<span><span><span><span><span><span>“So far, there are no signs that the level of risk to Romania has increased, but the Romanian military remains on high alert, and as you can see, following the measures taken recently, drones that have entered Romanian airspace have begun to be destroyed and shot down. We are doing this constantly,” he noted.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Miruță also explained that the destruction of hundreds of Russian drones near the Danube means that river and ocean currents will carry the debris to the Romanian shore on the second, third, or fourth day. Romania’s Inspectorate for Emergency Situations is taking measures to mitigate potential explosions that could occur if these pieces of drone debris contain explosives. These measures are lifted once it is confirmed that the drone parts do not contain explosives.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

Earlier, on August 16, an F-18 fighter jet from the Spanish NATO contingent shot down a drone that had violated Romanian airspace. According to NATO’s preliminary assessment, the drone was likely Russian. The aerial target entered national airspace from the Republic of Moldova, approximately 24 km north of Galați.

Earlier, a drone of unknown origin entered Bulgarian airspace and explodednear an international gas pipeline shortlyafter crossing the border with Romania. 

Юлія Калабайда