The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft established radar contact with a target located above the Ukrainian territory. The pilots were authorized to engage the drones, but they did not fire on the drone.
A Russian drone, part of a swarm of 15 Russian OWA (One Way Attack) drones crashed in the municipality of Galați, Romania, early in the morning on Apr. 25, 2026, destroying a house extension and an electricity pole. No casualties were reported. Two Royal Air Force Eurofighters deployed to Romania to support NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission were scrambled from the 86th Air Base in Fetești to intercept the drones approaching the Romanian airspace.
Here’s the official statement released by the Romanian Ministry of Defence:
On Saturday morning, April 25th, the Russian forces resumed the drone attacks against the civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, near the river border with Romania, in Tulcea County.
The Ministry of National Defence (MoND) radars detected drones operating close to Romania’s airspace. Two British Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft conducting Enhanced Air Policing mission scrambled at 02:00 from the 86th Air Base in Fetești.
The National Military Command Center notified the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations to establish population alert measures in the localities of Grindu and Isaccea, Tulcea County. A RO-ALERT message was issued at 02:14.
The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft established radar contact with a target located 1.5 km from Reni port city, above the Ukrainian territory. The pilots were authorized to engage the drones.
Ground-based MoND radars tracked a group of targets up to the area of Reni port city, Ukraine, where multiple explosions were reported.
At 02:31, the residents of the city of Galați reported, via the 112 emergency service, the fall of an object in the Bariera Traian area.
Specialized teams of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations and other structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are conducting investigations on site.
No casualties have been reported.
Preliminary assessments indicate that an outbuilding within a household and an electricity pole were affected, with no significant damage.
Drone fragments have been identified in several locations in the area, which has been secured by the Romanian Police and the Ministry of National Defence military personnel.
The Ministry of National Defence strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that they pose a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area.
Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s disregard for international law and endanger not only the Romanian citizens’ safety but also NATO’s collective security.
Romania remains firmly committed to fulfilling its obligations as a member state of the Alliance and will continue to work closely with its partners and allies to monitor and defend its national airspace.
As explained by the Romanian MOD, “The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft established radar contact with a target located 1.5 km from Reni port city, above the Ukrainian territory. The pilots were authorized to engage the drones.” Despite some media reports of a direct engagement between a NATO fighter and a Russian aircraft over Ukraine, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense explained that the British pilots did not shoot down the drone:
In an intervention on Digi24, Colonel Cristian Popovici, head of the Information Directorate of the Ministry of National Defense, stated that the British pilots did NOT fire on the drone that crashed in Galati, because neither they nor the ground radars “saw” the target in Romanian airspace, but only over Ukraine. “There was a swarm of 15 drones in the direction of Reni, which suddenly disappeared from the radars, after which explosions followed in Ukraine. We are not allowed to intervene on the territory of Ukraine ,” said Popovici. The military does not rule out that the drone got lost and was not seen by the radars, due to the low altitude at which it came.
The RAF Eurofighters deployed to Romania for a four‑month NATO Air Policing mission on the Alliance’s eastern flank in March.
Operating from Fetești or Borcea Air Base as part of the 121 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) the Eurofighters conduct enhanced Air Policing within NATO’s Eastern Sentry vigilance activity.
The RAF detachment and supporting personnel took responsibility from the German Eurofighter contingent.
