British fighter jets scrambled after Russian strike on Nato border
Drone fragments fall in Romania in ‘new challenge to regional security’
British fighter jets were scrambled in Romania overnight in response to a Russian drone attack on Ukraine.
Two RAF Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft were given permission to engage the Russian drones as they launched attacks on ports along the River Danube, which flows through or borders 10 countries, including Romania and Ukraine.
The Romanian defence ministry said the British jets, which were part of a wider Nato mission, had been scrambled from the 86th Air Base in Fetesti in the early hours of Saturday.
The British planes never entered Ukrainian airspace and did not engage Russian drones, the Romanian and UK defence ministries confirmed to The Telegraph.
The typhoons tracked the drones, which were approaching Reni in Ukraine, where explosions were later reported. At that moment, contact with the drones was lost.
Romanian authorities recovered drone fragments in the south-eastern city of Galați following the overnight attack, which left an electricity pole and a household annex damaged, according to the defence ministry.
Emergency services later evacuated the area over fears the fragments could contain an explosive.
While drone fragments have routinely fallen on Romania, a member of Nato which shares a 400-mile land border with Ukraine, Saturday marked the first time property had been damaged.
“The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasises that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area,” the Romanian defence ministry said.
“Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, but also the collective security of Nato.”
The statement continued: “The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft had radar contact with a target located 1.5km [one mile] from Reni, above Ukrainian territory.”
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