On the morning of 5 June, at approximately 10:30 a.m., a naval drone exploded near the Romanian port of Constanța on the Black Sea, with three additional naval drones located in the vicinity. Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced on Friday afternoon via a post on the X platform that all Ukrainian naval drones that had landed on the Romanian coast that morning, resulting from Russia’s employment of electronic warfare measures, had self-destructed.
Following a working group meeting in Constanța on Saturday, President Dan indicated that a comprehensive investigation into the incident at the Port of Constanța would be completed in the coming days. He stated, “Until then, we have several clear elements regarding the situation. It is confirmed that we are discussing a Ukrainian drone equipped with explosives, which was part of a set of four drones that lost control. There is ongoing dialogue with Ukraine following recent diplomatic communications, and a protocol was already in place to address such events. The responsibility for these incidents lies with Russia, the aggressor nation, while Ukraine is the country that has been attacked and is defending itself.”
President Dan further stressed that “The entry of this drone into Romanian sovereign airspace represents a direct consequence of the war being waged by Russia against Ukraine.”
Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta stated that Kyiv had alerted Bucharest about the impending drone explosions. He noted that Ukraine’s advance notice permitted the timely evacuation of the area before the drone self-destructed. The Minister explained that the radars currently operational near the Port of Constanța can detect only metal objects flying at high altitudes.
Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat assured that no additional threats had been identified in the area where the drones detonated and that all restrictions implemented due to the potential explosion risk had been lifted. Earlier, over 1,300 individuals were evacuated from the port, nearby Black Sea beaches, the adjacent Danube Delta, and access roads, according to a Reuters report.
In his post on X, President Dan added that “All four naval drones that lost control of the Ukrainian military have self-detonated. In addition to the drone that self-destructed in Constanța Port, a second drone self-destructed under Coast Guard supervision off Constanța Port, while two other drones exploded approximately 145 kilometres east of Constanța. Fortunately, none of these incidents resulted in casualties or significant damage. At this time, there is no longer any danger to Romanian citizens or national infrastructure.”
Romanian authorities have been in continuous communication with all relevant institutions. Furthermore, there has been direct collaboration between the Romanian and Ukrainian Presidential Administrations. The Ministry of National Defence (MApN), the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) have maintained operational and effective communication with their Ukrainian counterparts and with partners from the European Union and NATO.
On 29 May, the Romanian government reported that a Russian drone crashed onto the roof of an apartment building in Galați, causing a fire that slightly injured two people. The Romanian president stated that Russia is fully responsible, emphasising, “We do not consent to transfer Russia’s war against Ukraine to Romanian citizens.” So far, excluding a recent incident, drone fragments have fallen on Romanian territory 47 times during the four years of the Russian invasion, with 12 occurrences this year.
Measures to ensure coastline’s security
On Saturday, President Dan convened an extensive working meeting in Constanța to review the recent incident involving marine drones that exploded in the Port of Constanța and off the coast of the Black Sea. The primary objective of this meeting was to evaluate and implement the necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the Romanian coastline.
[Credit: Nicușor Dan@NicusorDanRO]
“The security of this area is of utmost importance, and I fully recognise that the public is rightly concerned about the safety of visiting the Black Sea,” remarked the President of Romania.
In a statement shared on X, the President announced that during the upcoming summer months, the Ministries of Defence and Internal Affairs, in collaboration with the Border Police, will enhance the capabilities of reconnaissance teams tasked with identifying potential hazards. Additionally, he confirmed that Romania is expected to receive new equipment soon and that, at NATO’s request, a dedicated session on Black Sea security will be held on 10 June.
“Indeed,” President Dan stated, “it has become clear that the Romanian government’s focus on prioritising Black Sea security in recent years was a prudent strategy.”
In cases like the incident at the Port of Constanța, established protocols outline specific operational procedures for each involved institution. “I want to underscore that these protocols were adhered to,” the President emphasised. “Nevertheless, we find ourselves in a position where adaptation to emerging technologies, especially in the context of ongoing conflicts, is essential. Romania is currently modernising, including enhancements to its naval capabilities. We anticipate receiving new equipment next month, and our naval forces will also be participating in NATO exercises aimed at addressing these types of challenges.”
Furthermore, the President addressed the theory suggesting that the uncontrolled drones were targeting a vessel associated with Russia’s ghost fleet. He stated, “This theory lacks credible support; the vessel in question is not listed by either the European Union or the United States as being subject to sanctions and has successfully undertaken the same commercial route multiple times in the past.”
