Romania Uses F-16s to Shoot Down Two Suspected Russian Drones

Romania shot down two suspected Russian-made drones in its territorial waters amid growing security threats in the Black Sea.

Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets to shoot down the two drones in its territorial waters on Saturday. The Ministry of National Defence said they were suspected to be a new Russian model with a speed comparable to that of a fighter aircraft.

Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruță said on Sunday, 18 October 2026, that the drones had been flying at about 450 kilometres per hour. Their characteristics suggested they were Russian-made Geran-4 drones fitted with turboprop engines.

“The drone flying last night was travelling at 450 km/h, which leads us to believe it was a Russian-made Geran-4 drone with a turboprop engine,” Miruță said. He added that this was the first time Romania had shot down this type of drone.

The incident came several days after two chemical tankers were hit by drone attacks off Romania’s Black Sea coast. Both vessels were anchored near the Sulina Canal, which connects the Danube River to the Black Sea and serves as one of Ukraine’s export routes.

Romania, a NATO member sharing a 614-kilometre border with Ukraine, has repeatedly reported airspace violations by Russian drones since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The latest incidents highlight the risks to regional security and commercial shipping on NATO’s eastern flank.