The situation with Russian drones is escalating. This weekend, Russian UAVs once again violated NATO airspace, this time in Romania. But the main question is – is the country ready to act and shoot them down?
Violation of NATO Airspace
On Sunday evening, as Russia attacked the south of Ukraine, one of the drones flew as far as 75 kilometers into Romania. And this was not the first case. Similar incidents had happened before – rockets had fallen on Romanian territory near Ukrainian Danube ports. Only this time the situation became even more serious, as the debris of another UAV was found near the Romanian village of Periprava.
Why Romania doesn’t shoot down the drones?
Now the most interesting part. Many are asking: why didn’t the Romanian F-16 fighter jets that took off to intercept the drone shoot it down? It turns out that Romania has strict laws that do not allow shooting down aircraft, even if it violates the country’s airspace. To shoot down a drone, protocols must be followed – first, contacting the pilot (if there is one), warning them, and only then making a decision to use weapons. And drones – they are not manned aircraft.
Political games around the situation
Such a situation, of course, does not satisfy many. The opposition in Romania is demanding a review of the laws, as they believe the country is showing weakness against Russia. Elena Lasconi, a presidential candidate from the opposition party USR, accuses the government of inaction. And security experts are not impressed either. They believe that such a reaction could be dangerous, as Russia could use it as a test of NATO’s weakness.
Is Russia deliberately testing NATO?
And here arises the main question: Is Russia intentionally trying to violate the airspace of NATO countries to see how the alliance will react? Some analysts speculate that this may be a kind of “strength test.” The Russians may want to make sure how resolutely NATO is willing to act.
What’s next?
Against this backdrop, Romania has decided not to sit idly by. It has already handed over one of its Patriot systems to Ukraine to strengthen its air defense. This decision will not only help Ukraine, but also make Romania itself safer. However, questions regarding further violations of airspace remain open. Will Romania start shooting down Russian drones? This question is currently the subject of active debates.
Share your thoughts in the comments on this situation and how you think Romania should act?
