Drones "most likely of commercial type" were reported in the area of Romania's military US/NATO 57th airbase Kogalniceanu, recently identified by the Russian authorities as the would-be "largest NATO base in Europe" and a major threat.

The drones were moving at low speed and low height, according to the Ministry of Defence quoted by News.ro. The ministry reportedly notified the Military Prosecution Office, but no official release on the event was published on its website.

The representatives of the ministry on April 16 told News.ro that on the night before, between 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM, security personnel at the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase reported the presence in the air, in areas near the [military] Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport, of an unmanned aerial system and, subsequently, of two more such systems.

"According to the procedures, all measures were taken to maintain safety in the airspace, and the civil air traffic authorities were quickly informed about this situation. Also, electronic warfare countermeasures were applied repeatedly, radar and visual contact with the last two systems being lost around 00:30," the ministry said.

Also, at the level of the military unit, a commission to investigate the event was appointed, led by the chief of staff of the 57th airbase.

Russian politicians and diplomats have reacted this March with threats to reports that Romania is building the largest NATO military base in Europe - a USD 2.5 billion project initiated by Romania in 2019 and expected to take 20 years to complete.

The expansion of Romania's 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu air base on the Black Sea coast, which the Russian officials commented on, is supposed to consolidate NATO's eastern flank.

iulian@romania-insider.com

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