Two NATO members say Russian drones have violated their airspace

Russian drones violate Romanian and Latvian airspace during attacks on Ukraine, causing no casualties or damage.

Two NATO members said on Sunday (September 8, 2024) that Russian drones violated their airspace, as one reportedly flew into Romania during nighttime attacks on neighbouring Ukraine while another crashed in eastern Latvia the previous day.

A drone entered Romanian territory early on Sunday (September 8, 2024) as Moscow struck “civilian targets and port infrastructure” across the Danube in Ukraine, Romania’s Ministry of National Defence reported. It added Bucharest had deployed F-16 warplanes to monitor its airspace and issued text alerts to residents of two eastern regions.

It also said investigations were underway of a potential “impact zone” in an uninhabited zone along the Romanian-Ukrainian border. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

Later on Sunday (September 8, 2024), Latvia’s Defence Minister Andris Sprūds said that a Russian drone fell the day before near the town of Rezekne, and had likely strayed into Latvia from neighbouring Belarus.

Rezekne, home to over 25,000 people, lies some 55 km west of Russia and around 75 km from Belarus, the Kremlin’s close and dependent ally.

While the incursion into Latvian airspace appeared to be a rare incident, Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on several occasions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, as recently as July this year.

Mircea Geoana, NATO’s outgoing deputy secretary-general and Romania’s former top diplomat, said on Sunday (September 8, 2024) morning that the military alliance condemned Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace. “While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against Allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous,” he wrote on X.