NATO voiced its support in a statement on Wednesday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Earlier in the day, Romania briefed its NATO allies about the find at a meeting of the 31-nation alliance’s envoys in Brussels, The Washington Post reported.
“The Romanian authorities have confirmed that debris, possibly from a drone, has been found on Romanian soil, close to the border with Ukraine,” NATO spokesperson Dylan White said in a statement.
The official added: “Allies expressed strong solidarity with Romania. We continue to monitor the situation closely, and we remain in close contact with our ally Romania.”
Romania confirms parts of what could be Russian UAV fell on its land
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday: “If it is confirmed that the components belong to a Russian drone, such a situation would be inadmissible and a serious violation of Romania’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He added: "We are on alert and in constant contact with our NATO allies.”
Romania’s Defence Minister Angel Tilvar admitted that parts of what could be a Russian UAV had fallen on Romanian territory, according to Reuters.
"I confirm that pieces which might be the elements of a drone were found," Tilvar told Antenna 3 CNN broadcaster.
Romania’s defence minister said the area had not been evacuated because there was nothing to suggest that the parts posed a threat and said the pieces would be analysed to confirm their origin, Reuters reported.
Romanian officials had earlier denied reports of drones falling on Romanian territory and said Russian attacks in neighbouring Ukraine did not cause a direct threat, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Kyiv said that Iranian-made Shahed UAVs had detonated in Romania during an overnight Russian air strike on Ukraine’s port of Izmail, across the Danube River, the PAP news agency reported.
Russia has increased attacks on Ukraine’s grain-exporting Danube ports since July, when Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a United Nations-backed deal to unblock Ukrainian ports and allow the export of grain via the Black Sea to avert a global food crisis, according to officials.
Russia has conducted long-range air strikes on targets in Ukraine since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion in February last year.
Ukraine has reported suspected Russian weapons flying over or crashing into neighbours several times, according to Reuters.
In November, two people were killed in Poland by a missile that fell near the Ukrainian border. Poland and NATO allies later said it was a misfired Ukrainian air defence missile, according to news outlets.
Thursday is day 561 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
(pm)
Source: PAP, Reuters, Washington Post