A Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone after it violated Romanian…

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What we can confirm

Multiple reputable and official sources report that on July 24, 2026, a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone that had breached or violated Romania’s national airspace, using an air-to-air missile and downing it over an unpopulated area near Padina, Buzău County.[1][2][3][4][5][8][10][11][12] These accounts cite statements from Romania’s Ministry of National Defence and President Nicușor Dan, describing radar detection of the unmanned aerial vehicle over the Black Sea, its entry into Romanian airspace, interception by Romanian and allied jets, and the engagement and destruction by a Romanian F-16 at about 11:02 a.m.[1][2][3][4][5][10] The incident is widely characterized as the first time Romania, a NATO member, has intercepted and destroyed a drone inside its own airspace during the Russia‑Ukraine war.[1][8][11] No credible sources contradict the core facts that a Romanian F-16 shot down a drone after it violated Romanian airspace.[1][2][3][4][5][8][10][11][12]

Sources

Checked July 25, 2026