MApN - Russian drones penetrated Romanian territory

The Ministry of National Defense (MApN) admitted, yesterday, that part of the drones launched by the Russian Federation, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday towards the Ukrainian port of Ismail, located on the Danube, fell on the territory of our country. In a press release, MApN representatives say: "Teams of the Ministry of National Defense are currently carrying out investigations in the field, in order to search for possible objects that have fallen on the national territory, as a result of the attacks carried out on the Ukrainian port infrastructure in the last two nights . We note that, regarding the investigations started yesterday, July 24, by specialists from MApN, SRI and MAI, up to this moment, at the first of the three locations identified as possible areas of incidence, in the vicinity of Plauru town, Tulcea county , debris from a Russian Geran1/2 (Shahed) drone was identified. Research will continue today to cover the entire area. We make it clear that all the locations identified as possible areas of incidence are located outside the inhabited areas, and infrastructure elements are not affected".

MApN also claims that in the past nights, with the triggering of the alarm for the Romanian citizens in the respective area, it also raised two F16 aircraft from the ground to carefully monitor the situation. Moreover, MApN representatives informed the allied structures in real time about the situations generated by the attacks, remaining in permanent contact with them.

We mention that, according to the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations Tulcea, in the two nights (Tuesday to Wednesday and Wednesday to Thursday) the Ro-Alert message regarding the drone attack over Ukraine was issued to the citizens of Jijila, Grindu, Văcăreni, Luncaviţa, Isaccea, Niculitel, Somova, Tulcea, Ceatalchioi, Nufăru, Frecăţei, Hamcearca, Maliuc, Pardina, Chilia Veche, C.A. Rosetti and Sulina.

After the MApN press release, Luminiţa Odobescu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs sent a message showing that our country condemns the irresponsible attacks of the Russian Federation on the infrastructure in Ukraine.

In her message, Luminiţa Odobescu states: "Russia has committed other atrocious attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Remains of drones were found on the territory of Romania. We have informed our allies and are coordinating with them on this matter. Romania strongly condemns these irresponsible actions".

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 61 drones were launched in the last few days from the territory of Russia and Crimea to several areas of Ukraine, and some of them also reached the city of Ismail, located 15 kilometers in a straight line from the municipality of Tulcea from our country. The same forces claim that during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, 23 drones were launched by the Russians, of which 17 were shot down, and some of the rest hit the targets in Ismail port. Of the 17 drones destroyed by Ukrainian anti-aircraft, a part would have fallen on Romanian territory. The following night, from Wednesday to Thursday, Russian forces launched 38 Shahed-131/136 attack drones, of which 25 were destroyed, and three of them allegedly fell in our country, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Unfortunately, neither ISU, nor MApN, nor Luminiţa Odobescu do not clarify how it is possible for Russian drones to fly freely, unhindered, undetected by anyone through the Danube Delta, at a distance between 66 and 71 kilometers, to which the distance should be added which the drones cover in flight over Ukrainian or Romanian territorial waters from the Black Sea.

According to information from several specialized military websites, a Shahed 2/Geran 2 drone can fly at a maximum speed of 185 kilometers per hour. Taking into account that there are 71 kilometers between Sulina and Tulcea/Ismail, and between Chilia Veche and Tulcea/Ismail there are 66 kilometers, a Shahed drone would cover these distances in a maximum of 25 minutes. How is it that from the moment they enter the Delta to their destination they are not detected and shot down? We are no longer talking about the moment when they enter Ukrainian territorial waters or Romanian territorial waters, which means a much longer flight time from launch to reaching the targets in Ismail, which means a much longer time for intervention.

The situation at this moment is similar to that of last year, more precisely in August, when the Ukrainian ports on the Danube, Ismail and Reni, were subjected to an extensive drone bombardment by Russian forces. And then some of the drones shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense arrived on Romanian territory, in the Plauru area, just like now. At that time, Senator Nicu Fălcoi (USR), vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO member states, former fighter pilot in the Romanian Air Force, signaled to us that MApN should have mobile radars in the delta for detecting drones, radars that exist on Gepard vehicles equipped with the Romanian Land Forces. He requested MApN to send Gepard vehicles to the border area with the Ukrainian ports on the Danube to locate and shoot down any drone or drone fragment that would fall on the national territory.

In response, MApN representatives claimed for the BURSA newspaper that "the mobile radars placed on the Gepard vehicles could intercept the respective drones, if they are located in the area" and that a possible deployment of these vehicles in the Danube Delta will be communicated in time, because they will be visible.

Almost a year has passed since then and the Shahed drones continue to fly unhindered through the Danube Delta and pieces of those hit by the Ukrainian defense fall on Romanian territory. Gepard vehicles are probably not where they should be even now. And the fact that MApN did not ask the Supreme Council of Defense of the Country, neither the Government nor the Parliament, for a year, to amend the legislation in force so that the equipment on the Gepard vehicles can shoot down the Russian drones entering the the national territory.