Romania Grants Preliminary Approval to Shoot Down Russian Drones and Missiles

Romania's House of Deputies has voted in favour of a bill that allows shooting down drones and missiles that illegally invade the country's airspace, Romanian media outlet Digi 24 reports.  

The document was supported by 196 deputies, 99 were against, and two abstained.  

The draft law expands and regulates measures to control the use of national airspace. It provides for the possibility of destroying Russian drones that cross the Romanian border without authorisation. Previously, this was not possible because the country was not at war.  

The final decision must be made by the Senate, after which the law must be signed by Romania's acting president, Ilies Bolozhan.  

The initiative was developed by the Ministry of Defence to address legislative gaps in the use of military capabilities.  

Currently, the Romanian army is not allowed to shoot down drones or missiles that violate the country's airspace unless a state of emergency is declared.  

‘That is, if we are in a state of peace, this project aims to establish a way of acting against means that use the country's airspace without authorisation,’ the lawmakers explained.  

The law also stipulates that NATO forces from other countries will be able to participate in these activities in accordance with collective defence agreements.  

Earlier, the Romanian Ministry of Defence reported that on 13 February, the wreckage of Geranium drones used by Russia to attack Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube was found on the country's territory.  

In December last year, a Russian X-101 cruise missile violated the airspace of Romania and Moldova before crashing in a field.