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AzerNEWS Staff

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Romania has shot down a second drone after it violated the country's airspace in as many days, raising concerns over repeated incursions along NATO's eastern flank as fighting intensifies near Ukraine's border.

Romanian President Nicusor Dan said the drone was intercepted at around 8:30 am local time on Saturday, approximately 10 kilometres west of Sfantu Gheorghe in the Danube Delta.

The Defence Ministry said radar systems detected the aircraft shortly before the incident, prompting two F-16 fighter jets to be scrambled before the drone was shot down.

Authorities have not yet determined where the drone came from. However, Romanian prosecutors said the drone downed on Friday was Russian, marking the first time Romania had destroyed an aircraft that entered its airspace following years of repeated incursions.

Romania shares a 650-kilometre border with Ukraine and says Russian drones have entered its airspace roughly 30 times since Moscow launched attacks on Ukrainian ports along the Danube following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The incidents have increased in frequency as Russia intensifies strikes on southern Ukraine, particularly around the strategically important port city of Odesa.

On Friday, Romanian Army Chief of Staff General Gheorghita Vlad said Russian attacks in the region had intensified ahead of the grain harvest, putting additional pressure on vital Black Sea energy and trade routes.