Romania Destroys 2 Russian-Made Drones Near Black Sea Gas Project

Romanian military divers destroyed two Russian-made drones found drifting near the strategic Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The operation marks the latest in a series of escalating responses by the NATO member to drone incursions in its airspace and maritime zones.

Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruță reported that a civilian vessel working in the area of the Neptun Deep project first spotted the objects and alerted authorities. A coast guard vessel carrying Romanian military explosive ordnance disposal specialists was dispatched to the site, approximately 90 nautical miles east of the port city of Constanța. Personnel discovered two drifting unmanned aerial vehicles along with several additional pieces of wreckage.

Romanian authorities contacted Ukraine to determine the drones' origin. "The Ministry of National Defense contacted our Ukrainian partners, who confirmed that these systems did not belong to them," Miruță stated. The precise origin of the drones has not yet been established. They were identified as Gerbera-type UAVs, a Russian-produced platform extensively used by Moscow during attacks against Ukraine, including as a...