The radar surveillance systems of the Ministry of National Defence signaled, on Sunday night into Monday, around 3:00 a.m., aerial targets that flew on different flight paths in Ukrainian airspace, north of the border with Romania, near the Maramures-Suceava area.
According to a press release from the Ministry of National Defence sent to AGERPRES on Monday, Ukrainian authorities confirmed that they took steps to move military aircraft from airfields in western Ukraine after the Russian Federation launched massive attacks on Ukrainian airport infrastructure.
As a result of this situation, the Ministry of National Defence informed the structures coordinating civil air traffic to monitor the situation in an integrated manner. At the same time, two Romanian F-16 aircraft took off at around 3:30 a.m., from the 86th Air Base "Lieutenant Aviator Gheorghe Mociornita" (Borcea Air Base, Calarasi County, editor's note) to conduct aerial reconnaissance missions, and at around 05:00 a.m., two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of the Italian Air Force, stationed at the 57th Air Base "Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuzino" (Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base), were ordered to take off.
"During operations carried out between 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., 12 Ukrainian air targets were detected flying in Ukrainian airspace, north of the border with Romania. Four of these unintentionally entered our country's airspace for a few minutes, in the areas of Sighetu Marmaiei and Vicovu de Sus, without posing a real threat to national security, human life, or Romanian property," the Ministry of National Defence informs.
After completing their missions, the Romanian Air Force's F-16 aircraft landed at the Borcea Air Base at around 6:00 a.m., and the Italian Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft landed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base at around 7:00 a.m.
"The Ministry of National Defence is constantly monitoring national and regional airspace, in close cooperation with NATO allies, to ensure Romania's security and territorial integrity. Although our country is not directly targeted, the fighting in Ukraine, in the vicinity of our national territory, as well as the attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, require measures to protect Romanian citizens and national infrastructure. The measures are being implemented gradually and are adapted to the category and nature of the threat in order to prevent extensive damage, in accordance with the measures established by CSAT [Romanian Supreme Council of National Defence], and the leadership of the institutions in the national defence, public order, and national security system," says the Ministry of National Defence.
Romania is also actively involved in allied efforts to deter aggression and defend the territory and population of the alliance, in accordance with its international commitments.
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