Romania, a NATO member, has taken a major step in protecting its airspace. Lawmakers in the country have approved a new bill allowing its military to shoot down drones that enter its airspace illegally. This decision comes after multiple incidents where Russian drones have either flown into Romanian territory or crashed there.
The law will enable Romania’s military to “destroy, neutralize, or take control of” drones that breach its airspace without permission. The bill is now awaiting the final signature from the country’s interim president, after which it will officially become law.
Romania shares a border with Ukraine, a country that has been at war with Russia since 2022. Russia has been launching drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, energy facilities, and other important locations, some of which are close to NATO borders. As a result, several Russian drones have been spotted crossing into Romania’s airspace, creating a security risk.
Russia’s Drone Activity Near Romania Raises Alarm
In recent months, Romania has found pieces of Russian drones in areas near its border with Ukraine. These drones have either malfunctioned, been shot down by Ukrainian forces, or crashed after carrying out attacks on Ukrainian targets.
The Romanian military has already scrambled fighter jets multiple times in response to Russian drone activity. In July, Romania sent two F-18 jets into the air after detecting Russian drones attacking Ukrainian civilian areas and ports. Again in September, Romanian and Spanish fighter jets were launched after another Russian drone strike targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure near Romania.
This pattern of Russian drones flying close to, or even inside, Romanian airspace has raised security concerns within the country. Romania’s defense officials have been pushing for stronger legal authority to deal with such threats. With this new law, the military will no longer have to wait for approval before taking action against drones entering their airspace.
Romania is not the only NATO country facing such challenges. Other nations near Ukraine, such as Poland and Latvia, have also reported incidents of Russian drones violating their airspace. The growing use of drones in warfare has made it harder to protect national borders, forcing governments to update their defense strategies.
NATO Backs Romania’s Right to Defend Its Airspace
NATO, the military alliance that Romania is a part of, has stated that each member country has the right to defend its airspace. However, the decision to shoot down drones is left to individual nations. Romania’s new law makes it clear that its military will not hesitate to act if any drone enters its territory without permission.
A Romanian official stated on social media that the country’s safety is non-negotiable. Alongside the new drone law, Romania’s government has also approved another law that will help its military collaborate more effectively with NATO allies. This will improve coordination with other NATO forces stationed in Romania during peacetime and military operations.
With tensions rising in the region, Romania’s move signals that it is taking a firm stand against unauthorized drone activity. Whether or not Romania will have to shoot down a drone in the near future remains to be seen, but the law is now in place to allow it if necessary.
