Trending 
Romanian President Nicușor Dan has revealed that a maritime drone that exploded in the Port of Constanța was part of a Ukrainian military operation against Russia and entered Romanian airspace after Ukrainian forces lost control of it during electronic warfare actions.
Dan, in a post shared on X, said the drone was one of four maritime drones involved in an operation conducted by Ukraine as part of its ongoing defence against Russia’s invasion.
“The maritime drone that exploded this morning in Constanța Port was part of, along with other similar combat assets, a military operation led by Ukraine against Russian aggression,” the Romanian President said.
According to him, Ukrainian forces lost control of the drones as a result of electronic warfare measures undertaken by Russia, causing them to drift from their intended course.
He described the drone’s entry into Romanian sovereign airspace as “a direct consequence of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine.”
Romanian authorities said information provided by Ukraine earlier in the day enabled the evacuation of areas at risk from a possible explosion.
Dan said all four drones eventually self-detonated. One exploded inside the Port of Constanța, while a second self-destructed under the monitoring of the Romanian Coast Guard off the port’s coastline. The remaining two drones exploded approximately 145 kilometres east of Constanța in the Black Sea.
“None of these drones caused casualties or significant damage,” the president said, adding that there was no longer any threat to Romanian citizens or national infrastructure.
The incident highlights the growing risk of spillover effects from Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine, particularly for NATO member states bordering the conflict zone.
Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine and has a coastline along the Black Sea, has repeatedly reported incidents involving military debris and drones entering its territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Dan said Romanian authorities remained in constant contact throughout the day and that communication channels between Bucharest and Kyiv were operating effectively.
He added that Romania’s defence, intelligence, interior, and foreign affairs institutions had maintained direct coordination with Ukrainian authorities, as well as with partners in the European Union and NATO.
In another post, Dan condemned Russia over its war in Ukraine.
“Thank you for your solidarity and support. The reckless Russian war of aggression against Ukraine must stop. We have to enhance our common defence and act decisively to reinforce the entire Eastern Flank,” he wrote.
