NATO announced that it started additional flights by Airborne Warning and Control System - AWACS surveillance aircraft over Romania on September 29. 

The enhanced vigilance activity is aimed at supporting the Alliance’s reinforced presence in the region and monitoring Russian military activity. In addition, it will also strengthen Romania’s ability to respond to the increased air activity in the vicinity of its border, NATO said.

The flights will take place solely over Alliance territory and operate out of Preveza air base in Greece and the NATO AWACS main base at Geilenkirchen, Germany.

The move follows a series of Russian drones entering Romania’s (and thus NATO’s) airspace in recent months amid attacks on neighboring Ukraine. Most recently, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that, on September 27, a Russian drone briefly entered Romanian airspace during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Izmail, near the border.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Ac.nato.int; by Andrew Sarwer)