Press Release

On the night of Sunday to Monday, July 20th to 21st, at around 03:00, the Ministry of National Defence radar surveillance systems signalled air targets that evolved on different flight paths in the Ukrainian airspace, north of the border with Romania, near Maramureș - Suceava area.

Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that they have taken measures to disperse military aircraft from the airfields in western Ukraine, following Russian Federation’s massive attacks on the Ukrainian airport infrastructure.

As a result of this situation, MoND informed the structures that coordinate civil air traffic to conduct integrated monitoring of the situation. At the same time, two Romanian F-16 aircraft took off, at around 03:30, from the 86th Borcea Air Base, for aerial reconnaissance missions, while at around 05:00, an order was given for the take-off of two Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft that conduct Air Policing Missions at the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.

During the operations conducted between 03:30 and 06:00, MoND detected 12 Ukrainian air targets that evolved in the Ukrainian airspace, north of the border with Romania. Four of these unintentionally entered, for a few minutes, our country's airspace, in Sighetu Marmației and Vicovu de Sus areas, without posing a real danger to national security, the lives of individuals or Romanian state.

After completing the missions, the Romanian Air Force F-16 aircraft landed at around 06:00 at Borcea Air Base, and the Italian Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft landed at around 07:00 at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.

The Ministry of National Defence constantly monitors the national and regional airspace, in close cooperation with NATO allies, to ensure the security and territorial integrity of Romania.

Although our country is not directly targeted, the war in Ukraine, in the vicinity of the national territory, as well as the attacks on the Ukrainian infrastructure require measures to protect the Romanian citizens and national infrastructure.

The measures are gradually taken and are adapted, depending on the category and nature of the threat, to prevent the occurrence of extensive damage, in accordance with the competences established by the HDSC and by the leaders of the institutions in the national defence, public order and national security system.

Romania is also an active part of allied efforts to deter aggression and defend the alliance’s territory and population, in accordance with international commitments.

The Press Office