Romania deploys fighter jets due to Russian attack on Ukraine
Photo: Romania deployed military aviation (Getty Images)
On the night of July 21, unidentified aerial objects were detected in the airspace near Romania's northern border during a massive Russian strike on western regions of Ukraine, the Romanian Ministry of Defense reports.
According to the Ministry, several UAVs temporarily crossed into Romanian airspace amid the large-scale Russian attack.
At around 03:00 a.m. local time, radar surveillance systems identified aerial targets moving along varied flight paths in Ukrainian airspace near the Romanian border - particularly in the Maramureș–Suceava area.
The Ukrainian side confirmed that it had taken precautionary measures to disperse military aircraft following massive strikes on airfields.
Activation of combat aircraft
In response to the potential threat, at approximately 03:30 a.m. local time, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from the Borcea Air Base in Romania.
Later, at around 05:00 a.m. local time, two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets, currently on duty as part of NATO's air policing mission, also joined the aerial patrol.
According to the Romanian military, between 03:30 a.m. and 06:00 a.m., 12 aerial objects were recorded.
Four of them briefly entered Romanian airspace in the areas of Sighetu Marmației and Vicovu de Sus. However, authorities stressed that the incursion posed no threat to national security or civilian life.
After completing their missions, both the Romanian and Italian fighter jets returned to their bases.
Attack on Ukraine
Russian strikes are increasingly occurring near the borders of NATO countries, especially Romania and Poland. This incident is not the first: drone debris has previously been confirmed on Romanian territory.
The massive overnight attack by Russia on July 21 was one of the most powerful in recent months, involving over 400 drones and dozens of missiles.
Multiple regions in Ukraine were struck, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. In the capital, at least six districts suffered serious damage.
To find out more about the situation in Kyiv, read our material on the topic.
