A Romanian fighter jet destroyed a maritime drone today. It was drifting near the Neptun Alpha offshore gas platform in Romania’s exclusive economic zone. The country’s Ministry of National Defence reported this.
A commercial vessel reported the presence of the drifting maritime drone at around 6:28 a.m. today.
Two Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jets were scrambled. They located the drone. One of the aircraft fired its cannon at it.
A coast guard vessel carrying bomb disposal experts was sent to the scene.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reacted to the incident.
“An escalating campaign of threats is underway, unsettling our citizens and seeking to divide our Union. This is hybrid warfare. The founding mission of our Union is to preserve peace. Today, that also means having the capacity to deter provocation and aggression,” she said.