Where exactly were the Russian drones found?

The drones were floating in the Black Sea, approximately 166 kilometers from the Romanian coast near Constanța, in the vicinity of the Neptun Deep gas project.

How did Romania confirm the drones were Russian?

Defense Minister Radu Miruță stated that Ukrainian partners confirmed the drones did not belong to them, further confirming their Russian origin.

Is this the first time Russian drones have landed on Romanian territory?

No. Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, dozens of incidents involving Russian drones in Romanian airspace have been recorded, including a serious attack on a residential building on May 29, 2026.

Which NATO forces are currently active in Romania?

On the same day the drones were destroyed, British Eurofighters concluded an Air Policing mission in Romania with over 180 flight hours, while Romanian F-16s completed a similar mission in Lithuania.

World

Romanian Divers Destroy Russian Drones Near Neptun Deep

B.D. · Prije 2h | 2 min

Defense Minister Radu Miruță confirmed that two Gerbera-type drones were destroyed with explosives after being spotted floating near the key offshore gas platform, approximately 166 kilometers from Constanța.

Summary

Romanian military divers destroyed two Russian Gerbera-type drones in the Black Sea on August 11, 2026.
The drones were found 166 km from Constanța, near the strategic Neptun Deep gas project.
Ukrainian partners confirmed the drones did not belong to them, confirming their Russian origin.
The incident adds to a series of Russian violations of Romanian airspace, including an attack on a residential building on May 29, 2026, with 70 evacuated.

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Romanian military divers destroyed two Russian drones found in the Black Sea on August 11, 2026, in the immediate vicinity of the strategic Neptun Deep gas project. The drones were floating approximately 166 kilometers off the coast of Constanța when spotted by the crew of a vessel working near the platform, announced Defense Minister Radu Miruță.

Explosive Removal of Threat

Miruță shared a video on his Facebook profile showing the destruction of one of the drones. The footage shows Romanian military divers using explosives to neutralize the aircraft on the water. The two drones found were identified as Gerbera-type models of Russian design.

The minister also revealed that Romania contacted "Ukrainian partners who confirmed that the systems do not belong to them," further confirming the Russian origin of the drones.

Growing Threat on the Eastern Flank

The incident occurs against a backdrop of continuous violations of Romanian airspace since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Dozens of Russian drones have strayed across the Romanian border, sometimes causing damage and forcing Romania into costly fighter jet interventions.

One of the most serious incidents occurred on May 29, 2026, when a Russian Geran-2 drone with an explosive payload struck a residential building in southeastern Romania. A child and a woman were injured, and 70 people were evacuated. In another earlier attack, a Russian drone damaged a workshop and an electrical pole, forcing more than 500 people to evacuate.

NATO Presence in the Region

On the same day the drones were destroyed, NATO reported the completion of two air policing missions. Romanian F-16s from the "Carpathian Vipers" squadron concluded their Air Policing mission in Lithuania, while British Royal Air Force Eurofighters finished their mission in Romania, during which they flew more than 180 hours.

The Neptun Deep project, near which the drones were found, is under development and is expected to make Romania the largest gas producer in the European Union, further underscoring the strategic importance of protecting that offshore site.