Russia Blamed as Romanian F-16 Destroys Drone Near Gas Project

A Romanian F-16 fighter jet destroyed a naval drone carrying explosives near the Neptune Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, according to Romanian authorities. President Nicusor Dan blamed Russia for what he described as another irresponsible incident involving a NATO member bordering Ukraine.

The drone was spotted at 6:28 a.m. local time by a merchant vessel several hundred meters from the Neptune Deep project, about 80 nautical miles east of the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta, the Romanian Defense Ministry said.

Two Romanian F-16s were scrambled to investigate the object. One of the aircraft subsequently destroyed the drone.

Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruca said the unmanned vessel was "loaded with explosives" and stressed that it was not of Ukrainian origin.

President Nicusor Dan condemned what he described as a growing pattern of incidents.

"I categorically condemn the escalation of such irresponsible incidents by the Russian Federation," Dan wrote on X, according to AFP.

The incident occurred near Neptune Deep, one of Romania's major offshore energy projects. Hundreds of people are currently working on the development, with natural gas production expected to begin in 2027.

The latest incident adds to growing concerns over unmanned systems operating near NATO territory as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. Drone warfare has become increasingly widespread during the conflict, while Eastern European countries bordering Ukraine have reported a series of incursions and incidents involving drones.

Romania has also recently faced several incidents involving aerial drones. NATO has shot down four aerial drones over Romanian territory in recent times, with the latest occurring over the weekend.

On Thursday, Romanian authorities reported that another aerial drone had been brought down following Russian strikes on Ukraine. The drone crashed in an uninhabited area about four kilometers northeast of the village of Grindu in eastern Romania, close to the Ukrainian border. No injuries were reported.

The destruction of the naval drone near Neptune Deep comes as Romanian authorities remain on heightened alert over potential spillover from the war in neighboring Ukraine. The location of the latest incident is particularly sensitive because of the presence of the offshore gas project and the large number of workers currently involved in its development.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the international community to respond to what he described as Russian "escalation." His appeal followed overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv and surrounding areas that killed at least 16 people.

The latest developments underline the growing security risks posed by the war beyond Ukraine's borders, with Romania, a NATO member and neighboring country, repeatedly reporting drone-related incidents on or near its territory.