Romania has recently seen a dangerous increase of regional nationalist tensions. This follows an unprecedented drone attack by Russia against infrastructure deep within its neighbor Ukraine. A Russian drone accidentally trespassed into Romanian airspace earlier this month. As a result, Romania had to scramble two F-16 fighter jets to keep an eye on the drone. This is indicative of the increased sophistication of military operations in the eastern theater of Europe. Allies are stepping up in response to Russia’s aggressive, reckless behavior.
The strike on Ukraine came as part of a broader pattern in Russia’s military operations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims this trend indicates a purposeful escalation of drone strikes. And indeed, Zelenskyy was right that the Russian military likely has a very good idea of the operational routes their drones are taking.
“The Russian military knows exactly where their drones are headed and how long they can operate in the air.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
In a related development, Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency claimed responsibility for a drone strike that targeted one of Russia’s largest oil refining complexes, located approximately 1,400 kilometers from the frontline in Ukraine. This attack caused a fire and significant damage to the facility. Iranian-designed Shahed drones are now a key component to these operations. This is a testament to the changing tactics that both sides are using in the war.
Amid soaring tensions about an attack that could draw NATO into a wider war, almost 20 Russian drones breached Polish airspace overnight Tuesday to Wednesday. Poland jumped in, as did Poland’s NATO allies, quickly bringing up helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Instead, they acted to address the growing threat of Russian drone strikes against Ukrainians. Poland’s government has firmly rejected claims that these drone incursions were accidental, reinforcing concerns about the intentionality behind Russia’s military actions.
“No doubt about it: the drones were intentionally launched. The question is whether the drones were targeted to go into [Poland] specifically.” – Marco Rubio
Zelenskyy has continued to call for increased action from NATO allies, asking them to speed up their answers to these growing threats. He cautioned that if Congress didn’t act strongly enough, they’d just be kicking the can down the road for even worse consequences later.
“Do not wait for dozens of ‘shaheds’ and ballistic missiles before finally making decisions.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
In reaction to such moves, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he is prepared to impose unprecedented sanctions on Russia. He stressed that before that, NATO countries need to agree to buy no more Russian oil.
“I am ready to do major sanctions on Russia when all Nato nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all Nato nations stop buying oil from Russia.” – Donald Trump
In reaction to these attacks, countries across Europe are increasing their vigilance. Currently, France, Germany, and Sweden are contributing more support for the air policing of Polish airspace. The collaborative efforts among NATO allies underscore the seriousness with which they regard the ongoing threats posed by Russian military operations.