NATO Jet Downs Drone Near Ukraine Border

A NATO fighter jet intercepted a drone that violated Romanian airspace near its borders with Ukraine and Moldova. The defense ministry reported that a Spanish F-18 jet, operating on NATO duties, downed the drone early Sunday morning after it entered from Moldova. Fragments of the drone fell in an unpopulated area close to the Ukrainian border.

This event is the latest in a pattern of drone incursions into neighboring countries, attributed to electronic interference related to the war with Russia. Ukrainian drones have occasionally been "hijacked" by Russian forces. Romania has reported finding drone debris on its territory multiple times since 2023, following Russian strikes on Ukrainian Danube River ports.

Earlier incidents include a drone entering Bulgarian airspace last week and exploding near a gas pipeline, which Ukraine denied targeting. Last month, Romania conducted its first drone downing since 2022 after an aircraft entered its airspace about 60 miles from Bucharest. In June, Latvia also reported two NATO jets shooting down an intruding drone.