NATO does not see threats of military attacks from Russia and considers the fall of drone debris on the territory of Romania to be random incidents and not an intentional threat, Deputy Secretary General of the alliance Mircea Geoanasaid.
⠀
Earlier on Wednesday, Romania’s Defense Ministry said debris that could be parts of a drone had been found in Tulcea county. Preliminary data from the forensic examination showed that we are talking about drone debris similar to those used by Russia. In this regard, the Romanian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador in Bucharest, Valery Kuzmin, to protest due to the violation of Romanian airspace.
⠀
“These attacks create for Moldova and Romania – Ukraine’s neighbors – certain incidents that may appear, such as, for example, debris from drones that fell on the territory of Romania. I want to confirm that NATO has no information that these are attacks on the territory NATO – it is very important to note this,” Joana said at a briefing in Chisinau.
⠀
According to him, such incidents may happen again, but they should not be regarded as threats. He assured that NATO is in constant contact with the political and military leadership of Romania. “The military structures of NATO and Romania maintain contact to assess the situation. NATO is taking measures to strengthen the defense of the alliance’s territory, including Romanian territory,” Geoana emphasized.
⠀
On September 8, Romania’s National Committee for Emergency Situations decided that the country’s Ministry of Defense must identify potentially dangerous areas on the border with Ukraine due to drone attacks and Ukrainian air defense operations, prepare shelters for citizens there, and create a citizen warning system. Soldiers are setting up concrete shelters for residents of villages bordering Ukraine, where they can wait out the air raid. On Wednesday night, the Romanian Emergency Situations Inspectorate, at the request of the Ministry of Defense, warned citizens for the first time about the risks of falling drone debris.
⠀
Earlier, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tylvar said that debris that could be parts of drones had been found in the country. The official stressed that the objects are not dangerous. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis demanded an urgent investigation. The leader of the Union for the Salvation of Romanians, Catlin Drule, accused the authorities of withholding information and insists that consultations with NATO should have been held. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the alliance has no information about a “deliberate attack by Russia” in the context of the UAV incident. On Saturday, Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said that in the Plauru area of Tulcea county, searchers found fragments of a drone similar to those used by the Russian military. The representative of the Ministry of Defense, Constantin Spinu, said that we could be talking about a new find, Iohannis informed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about new drone debris found in the country. The Romanian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, since the remains of a drone similar to those used by the Russian military were found on the territory of the country.
