More Russian UAS go astray while attacking Ukraine
A Shahed-136 drone, the kind understood to have recently flown astray in Belarus. (Photo: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0)
This time, the UAS flew into NATO airspace, though there is no evidence that they did so deliberately.
Russian UAS that were attacking Ukraine by night invaded the airspace of two NATO countries.
One is reported to have flown into Romanian airspace during its attacks on civilian targets and port infrastructure in Ukraine, according to the Romanian defence ministry. The other landed near the Latvian town of Rezekne, and was explained by Latvian defence minister Andris Sprūds as having “likely strayed into Latvia from neighbouring Belarus.”
Romania scrambled F-16 aircraft in response to the incursion into its airspace, in an echo of an action taken by the Russian-allied Belarus recently when Iranian-supplied Russian Shahed “kamikaze” or “suicide” drones went astray in its airspace, rather than following their permitted flightpaths into Ukraine.
Related Articles
Belarus fighter jet shoots down Russian drone
Meanwhile within Ukraine, the defending air force shot down six out of eight drones Russia launched into their territory in the space of one night, along with three missiles.
The question of a wider NATO response beyond the immediate domestic launching of F-16s in Romania’s case comes down to the perceived intent of the drones. As there is doubt that the incursions were deliberate infringements of the countries’ airspace, there is insufficient evidence to provoke a co-ordinated NATO response.
The outgoing deputy secretary general of NATO, Mircea Geoană, a former diplomat in the Romanian service, acknowledged the political reality of the situation, but did not refrain from criticising Russia.
“While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous”, he said.
Latvian military spokespeople concurred that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the drones were sent into the country’s airspace deliberately.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
