Information and Public Relations Directorate
E-mail: presamapn@mapn.ro
Contact: 021-319.60.22
Press Release
On Wednesday, October 23rd, at around 8:45 p.m., the Romanian Armed Forces’ radar surveillance system indicated an aerial target in the vicinity of the border between Romania and Ukraine, in the Chilia Arm area, near Chilia Veche town, Tulcea County.
According to the procedures in force, the Air Policing Combat Service structures under national command were activated and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations was notified with regard to the establishment of measures to alert the population of Tulcea County.
Two Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft took off from the 86th Borcea Air Base to monitor the situation.
The radars continuously monitored the target's route, which evolved towards the Municipality of Tulcea, the radar signal with this target being lost at around 21.00, 12 km northeast of the above mentioned town.
Around 21:20, the radar surveillance systems indicated again an aerial target signal in an area located 2 km northwest of Lake Razim. The target, most likely different from the first one, evolved on a route towards Mihai Viteazu locality, Constanța County and, later, towards Jurilovca locality, Tulcea County, where it disappeared from the radar, 9 km northwest of this locality, at 21.40.
The fighters did not make visual contact with air targets at any point on the flight paths indicated by the radar surveillance system.
The cessation of the air alert was transmitted starting 22:16, and the F-16 aircraft returned to the deployment base.
From the data available at this time, the probability of the existence of an impact zone on the national territory has not been indicated. Specialized structures of the Ministry of National Defence will analyze the available data and information to establish the circumstances in which the event occurred.
Starting this morning, October 24th, the MoND structures will conduct investigations in the two areas where the radar signals were lost.
MoND informed the allied structures about this situation in real time, maintaining permanent contact with them.
The Press Office