NATO member Romania finds more suspected drone fragments near its border with Ukraine

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — NATO member Romania found what appear to be new drone fragments near its border with war-torn Ukraine on Wednesday, in the third such finding in the past week, the Ministry of National Defense said.

Two helicopters from the Romanian Air Force were deployed with specialist teams to Nufaru and Victoria in the eastern Tulcea county where “fragments that could have come from a drone” are spread over an area of “several tens of meters,” the ministry said in a statement.

It said in a separate statement that it has notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations about areas near the border that could be at risk of incidents as Russian forces attack Ukraine’s Danube River ports across the river from Romania.

Emergency authorities have received phone calls “about possible cases of drone impacts” between three localities, including Nufaru, the ministry said. An investigation will be carried out after samples are collected and examined by experts, it said.

Wednesday’s findings are the third such discovery on Romanian soil since last Thursday. They come during sustained attacks by Russian forces on Ukraine’s Danube ports as Moscow aims to disrupt Ukraine’s ability to export grain to world markets.

While it’s unclear whether Romania has determined where or when the drones were launched, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said of drone fragment findings on Saturday that they were “similar to those used by the Russian army.”

Iohannis said it indicated there has been “an absolutely unacceptable violation of the sovereign airspace of Romania, a NATO ally, with real risks to the security of Romanian citizens in the area.”

Asked about the previous drone fragment findings, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday that “No one attacked us and no one is attacking us.”

“Some remains jumped from a drone that was hit by the Ukrainian army. It didn’t have explosives, it didn’t have anything that could harm the citizens,” he said.

Last week, Romania’s National Committee for Emergency Situations approved measures allowing authorities to issue localized text message alerts or sound alarms to warn inhabitants “adjacent to the conflict areas” in Ukraine of incidents or potential incidents.

In the Danube localities of Plauru, Ceatalchioi and some other areas, Romania’s defense ministry will construct “protective spaces” for residents.

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McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania.