Romania finds possible drone fragments after Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports – Winnipeg Free Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Possible drone fragments have been found in Romania's southeastern border region after overnight Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports on the Danube River, Romania's Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Romanian radars detected clusters of drones near the NATO country's airspace just after midnight on Tuesday, prompting the ministry to issue an alert to residents of the southeastern region.

Weather conditions prevented the fighter jets from deploying, but military teams were able to spot possible drone fragments about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Romania's border with Ukraine, the defense ministry said.

Violations of Romanian airspace by drones have become more frequent in recent months as Russia carries out strikes on Ukrainian ports on the Danube River across the border. Officials said samples collected from sites where drone fragments were found were similar to those used by the Russian army.

Romania and Poland are now deploying a new weapons system to defend against Russian drones after a series of incursions into NATO airspace in recent months that have exposed the alliance's vulnerabilities and stymied Europe.