Romania shot down two drones over its airspace within 24 hours in July 2026, likely Russian Shahed drones, near the Ukrainian border and northeast of Bucharest, raising concerns over increased drone incursions amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Romanian authorities intercepted and shot down a second drone over Romanian airspace within 24 hours, near the eastern border with Ukraine. The drone was intercepted by an F-16 fighter jet about 10 km west of Sfântu Gheorghe on July 25, 2026, at approximately 08:30 am. Romanian radar systems detected the drone near the Ukrainian border, triggering a scramble of two F-16s and resulting in the drone being safely shot down in an unpopulated area. This followed a similar incident on July 24, 2026, at about 11:00 am, when an F-16 shot down another drone near Padina, northeast of Bucharest. That drone was a Shahed-type used by Russian forces. Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta noted the wreckage is being analyzed but indicated the drones' flight pattern is consistent with known Russian drone flights. The incidents have heightened concerns over increased drone incursions into Romanian airspace amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Romanian and allied Eurofighter Typhoon jets also participated in air policing operations during the events.