Romania has summoned Russia’s ambassador following the downing of three drones over the course of three days, Romanian officials confirmed. The latest incident occurred on Sunday morning when a Romanian F-16 fighter jet intercepted and shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Black Sea, marking the third such action after similar drone incursions on Friday and Saturday.

The Romanian Ministry of Defence confirmed the drone shot down on Friday was identified as a Shahed model, a type commonly used by Russia in its ongoing military operations in Ukraine. President Nicusor Dan described the drone as part of Russia’s “war of aggression against Ukraine.” The repeated violations of Romanian airspace have raised concerns within NATO and the European Union, as Romania is a member of both organizations and its airspace is considered collectively protected.

Following Sunday’s incident, Foreign Minister Oana Toiu announced the summoning of Russia’s ambassador to lodge an official complaint about the "repeated violations." US Army Colonel Martin O’Donnell, a senior NATO military spokesperson, condemned the incursions as "unacceptable and intolerable," emphasizing the importance of respecting national and alliance airspace.

Romania shares a border with Ukraine and has experienced numerous drone incursions since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began. These recent events represent an escalation in airspace violations, prompting heightened vigilance and military responses from Romanian authorities.

Russian officials have not publicly commented on the incidents as of yet. Meanwhile, Romania continues to monitor and respond to such airspace incursions, underscoring the broader security challenges facing NATO’s eastern flank amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.