The Russian embassy in Romania has labeled a recent drone incursion into Romanian airspace as a “provocation” orchestrated by Ukraine, following the summoning of Moscow’s envoy by the Romanian foreign ministry regarding the incident. Ambassador Vladimir Lipayev dismissed Romania’s accusation of Russian involvement in the intrusion as baseless.
In a statement released by the embassy on Sunday, it asserted that the evidence suggested a deliberate provocation by the Kyiv government and criticized Bucharest for an inadequate response to Russia’s inquiries. Since Russia deployed troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Romania has experienced multiple incidents where drone fragments have landed on its territory, particularly amid heightened Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports.
Romania reported on Saturday that a Russian drone had breached its airspace. Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the drone, which was tracked until it disappeared from radar detection, according to the defense ministry. Fortunately, the drone did not pass over populated areas and was deemed not to pose an immediate threat to public safety.