Nicoleta Pauliuc: "The penetration of a Russian drone into the airspace can be considered a vulnerability"

The penetration of a Russian drone over a certain period of time and over a distance of tens of kilometers represents a vulnerability, said yesterday, Nicoleta Pauliuc, the president of the Defense, Public Order and National Security Committee in the Senate, following the discussions that its members - had with the representatives of the Ministry of National Defense in order to change the incident legislation that would allow the Romanian Air Force and the Land Forces to shoot down these drones.

Nicoleta Pauliuc said: "I had a discussion with MApN representatives about completing the legislation, regarding the ability to react to the penetration of hostile or unauthorized drones into the airspace. We all agreed that the penetration of the airspace for a distance of about 40 kilometers, for a period of 40 minutes, by a Russian drone can be considered a vulnerability, in the context of the lack of legislation that talks about current rules of engagement. We discussed the urgency of adopting some draft laws that would allow those from the Ministry of Defense to fulfill their missions. In this way, I spoke about the need for the Ministry of Defense, through the Government, to come to the Parliament in an emergency procedure".

His Lordship stated that it is useful and natural for MApN to initiate the legislative projects, because the ministry has been working for a long time on the respective amendments to the law, which must provide clear definitions and procedures, to allow a quick military reaction.

Nicoleta Pauliuc added: "I am convinced that MApN has the capacity to consult and coordinate with our NATO partners on the legislation regarding this type of response. Such situations appeared in most of the countries that have borders with Ukraine. It seems to be a modus operandi of the Russians to generate nervousness in NATO member countries in this area. That's why I think it's very important to dialogue with our partners in NATO and in the legislative process so that, later, in the field, operative coordination is functional. As we have proven on so many other occasions, the Defense Commission has every willingness to expedite the process of adopting the legislation regarding the reaction to the penetration of hostile or unauthorized drones into Romania's airspace. I remind you that recently, for example, things have moved rapidly with regard to the necessary legislation regarding the donation of the Patriot system. To be clear, there is no question of us keeping the specific legislation in the drawer".

Regarding this subject, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also expressed himself yesterday, who stated: "I tell you with certainty, that if any drone enters Romania's territory, it is identified and, if it is sent to hit a target on Romania's territory, it will be shot down immediately. (...) Don't worry that that drone (ed. - which flew on Sunday, in the early hours of the night, 40 kilometers in the area of Dobrogea) could have hit any target on Romanian territory. She would have been shot down immediately with protocol, with law, without law. No one is playing."

Brigadier General Constantin Spînu, spokesman for the MApN, confirmed what was said by the head of the Government: "At the moment, the legislation that exists in Romania and which is similar to the legislation of the NATO states provides for the procedural steps by which we can act against aircraft that use illegally national airspace. The legislation was issued in 2001 when this danger of drones did not exist and therefore needs to be updated. Under certain conditions, just like all other NATO armies, according to the legislation in force, the Air Force can shoot down such a drone in the situation where we witness a hostile act against NATO forces or the territory of Romania. I have not been in this situation. The drone from Saturday night to Sunday did not represent a hostile act against NATO or the national territory, although it illegally used Romania's airspace. If it had malfunctioned and there was a risk of it crashing on national territory, the two F-16 aircraft, with the weapons they are equipped with, could destroy it in the air."

The MApN representative specified that Romania's airspace is well defended and showed that on the night of Saturday to Sunday the respective drone was not shot down, as no drones were shot down either in Poland or Latvia, although its illegal flight included a risk , because it did not represent an actual vulnerability.

General Spînu concluded: "At that moment there were two F-16 planes in the air that constantly monitored the situation. The operating procedures are the same that apply throughout NATO airspace. It intervenes after a set of measures that are gradually taken in a unitary manner throughout NATO airspace. At that time, I was in permanent contact with the NATO authorities, because the two F-16s were on an Air Police mission under NATO authority, they were in the air for almost two hours and could have intervened in the situation where that drone would have represented a danger to the national territory. There are military procedures which I cannot detail, but which provide us step by step with every measure we can take. There is a set of criteria that are constantly evaluated."

According to the MApN representative, the fact that that drone was not an intentional attack on Romanian territory was confirmed on Monday, through an official communication sent by NATO to the Ministry of Defense in Bucharest.