A maritime drone exploded on Friday in Constanta, Romania, near an oil terminal, but no one was hurt. Ukraine accused Russia of jamming one of its naval drones, which lost control and drifted into Romanian waters. Ukraine’s navy warned Romanian authorities about the incident to prevent casualties. This explosion followed another incident a week earlier, where a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in Galati, Romania, injuring two people. Russian officials denied any involvement in the latest drone incident.
The Black Sea is vital for transporting grain and oil and is shared by Romania, Ukraine, and Russia. Constanta port, Romania’s largest, has been used by Ukraine for grain exports and fuel imports. The Romanian defense ministry reported that the drone self-detonated at around 10:30 a.m. local time, shortly after authorities were informed of its presence. As a safety measure, over 1,000 people were evacuated from nearby beaches, and ships and helicopters searched for more drones. Restrictions were later lifted when no further threats were found.
Officials have warned of the increasing risks of war to the east of the European Union, as Romania shares a long border with Ukraine and has experienced breaches of its airspace by Russian drones. Reports from Romania, Ukraine, and the EU linked the Constanta explosion to the ongoing conflict, emphasizing that Russia’s aggression poses a threat to the broader region. The drone detonated about 500 meters from the oil terminal.
With information from Reuters
