Romania Expels Russian Diplomat Over Drone Incursions

Romania has declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within five days, while recalling its ambassador to Moscow for consultations following repeated incursions by Russian drones into its airspace.

The measures were announced on Monday after the Romanian Armed Forces shot down three drones that entered Romanian airspace without authorisation between 24 and 26 July.

Fragments of one of the destroyed drones were presented to the Russian ambassador in Bucharest, with Romanian authorities saying official investigations confirmed their Russian origin.

The Russian ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where Romania lodged a formal protest over what it described as illegal and irresponsible actions.

Romanian officials said the repeated violations of the country’s airspace, which is also NATO and European Union airspace, were “absolutely inadmissible and intolerable” and held the Russian Federation fully responsible for the incidents and the deterioration of regional security.

The latest measures mark a further escalation in tensions between Bucharest and Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Romania has previously taken diplomatic action against Russian officials following earlier drone incursions near its borders.

Romania said it would continue coordinating closely with its NATO and EU allies while taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national security and protect its citizens.

Russia had not publicly responded to Romania’s latest diplomatic measures.