Romania Intercepts Explosive Drone Near Major Offshore Gas Project

Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jets intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden maritime drone in the Black Sea, just 300 metres from the Neptun Deep offshore gas platform, where hundreds of workers were present.

Romanian officials said the drone was detected about 80 nautical miles east of Constanța on Thursday morning. Defence Minister Radu Miruță confirmed that it was carrying explosives, while Ukrainian authorities reportedly determined that the drone was not Ukrainian.

Romanian President Nicuşor Dan blamed Russia for the incident, describing it as part of a pattern of increasingly dangerous drone activity targeting Romanian territory. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the developments as part of an escalating campaign of hybrid warfare against the European Union.

A separate drone linked to the same Russian attack operation also entered Romanian airspace near the Ukrainian border. NATO aircraft, including Spanish F-18s, were scrambled, while the drone later crashed near Grindu village in Tulcea County. No casualties or major damage were reported.

The incident occurred as Russia launched another major wave of attacks against Ukraine, with at least 16 people reportedly killed in Kyiv.

Neptun Deep, jointly developed by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, is one of Europe’s largest offshore gas projects and is expected to begin production in 2027. Its development is considered strategically important for reducing Romania and other EU countries’ dependence on Russian gas.

The latest incident has heightened concerns about the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure on NATO’s eastern flank and raised fresh questions about how the alliance would respond if future drone incursions cause casualties or significant damage.

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