Russia's embassy in Romania claimed on Sunday that a drone incursion into the Eastern European country the day before was a "provocation" orchestrated from Ukraine.
Romania's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that two of its fighter jets had intercepted a drone in Romanian airspace amid Russian attacks on neighboring Ukraine.
The drone did not fly over populated areas and did not pose a threat to civilians, the defense ministry said.
On Sunday, Romania's Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipayev over the incident.
Russia's embassy in Romania denied that one of its drones had entered Romanian airspace, instead calling it a "deliberate provocation by the Kyiv regime."
It also accused authorities in Bucharest of failing to "specifically and convincingly answer" questions from Moscow about the air intrusion.
Romania has reported several drone downings in its territory since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Saturday's incident came less than a week after Poland said it shot down multiple Russian drones that had entered its airspace amid a large-scale air attack against Ukraine.
Both Romania and Poland are NATO members.
AFP contributed reporting.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
