See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:48 BST, 24 July 2026 | Updated: 13:55 BST, 24 July 2026
Romania has used an F-16 fighter jet to shoot down a drone that had entered its airspace on Friday. The NATO member - which borders Ukraine - has seen frequent drone incursions since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but it is the first time it has been able to down an unmanned aerial vehicle. Romania has not yet identified the origin or purpose of the drone, but the army's chief of staff Gheorghita Vlad said it appeared to be a Shahed - an Iranian-made 'kamikaze' UAV frequently used by Russia during the war.'Visually, the pilots reported the drone looked to be a Shahed type,' Vlad said, adding it was too soon to draw any conclusions.The drone was taken down around 70 miles from Bucharest, near the village of Padina, according to the defence ministry.'We had a drone in our airspace. It was shot down a few minutes ago, around 11:00 am (0800 GMT) by a Romanian pilot flying an F-16,' President Nicusor Dan told a press conference.'It's important to note that the area was uninhabited, which is why the pilot was able to fire from above, and now teams from various institutions are investigating to provide all the details about the incident,' he added.Surveillance systems first detected an aerial target at 09:39 am, and two Eurofighter Typhoon jets of the Italian Air Force and two F-16 fighter jets of the Romanian Air Force were sent to monitor the situation. Romania has shot down a drone using an F-16 fighter jet (pictured) after it entered its airspace Romania has not yet identified the origin or purpose of the drone, but the army's chief of staff Gheorghita Vlad said it appeared to be a Shahed (file image)'At 11:02, a Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft engaged the target and shot it down,' the defence ministry said.Drone incursions in Romania have been detected dozens of times since the start of the Ukraine war.A drone smashed into an apartment building in May, wounding two people and drawing condemnation from NATO and the European Union, which blamed Russia and warned against further incursions.Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said the shooting down of the drone was 'the result of a dedicated pilot, the rapid response of the Romanian Armed Forces, and seamless coordination with Italian Eurofighters on NATO Air Policing duty'.Romania would 'continue investing in modern air defence and anti-drone capabilities', she said in a post on X.In 2025, the Romanian parliament adopted a law allowing the country to shoot down drones breaching its airspace.The government vowed after the incursion in May to bolster Romania's air defences and accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities.It came as Russia unleashed fresh missile strikes on Ukraine, killing six people and injuring dozens more, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Rescuers work at the site of a Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine July 24, 2026'Efforts to determine exactly what happened and the fate of those affected are ongoing,' Zelensky said on Telegram.The Ukrainian president added that another five were killed in Slovyansk and nine more were injured following Russian air strikes, which he said targeted ordinary homes, the consulate building and vehicles. 'These were brutal attacks on civilians, and the Russians must be held accountable for them. 'Russia has long abandoned any regard for international norms – and for human values. 'Their only interest is in continuing the killing. It is important that our partners fully understand that protecting lives also depends on them. Interceptors for Patriot systems are the number one priority.'
