Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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Two drones shot down by F-16s over the Black Sea near Sulina

Romanian authorities announced that F-16s shot down two drones on October 17, 2026, after they entered Romanian airspace over the Black Sea. According to Defense Minister Radu Miruta, the first entered at 5:59 p.m. local time and was shot down in less than two minutes, 25 km southeast of Sulina. The second was shot down at 6:05 p.m., 20 km east of Sulina. The article does not establish the origin of the drones or the intent of their operators.

Occurrence
2026-10-17
Publication
2026-10-17
First observed
2026-10-17T21:38:44Z
Review status
Reviewed
Countries
RO
Updated
2026-10-17T21:38:44Z

Attribution

Not specified

Facts

Established

  • The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that two drones were shot down by F-16s after they entered Romanian airspace over the Black Sea on October 17, 2026.
  • According to the defense minister, the first drone entered at 5:59 p.m. local time and was shot down in less than two minutes 25 km southeast of Sulina; the second was shot down at 6:05 p.m., 20 km east of Sulina.

Unknown

  • This article does not establish Russian state responsibility for this incident.
  • The intent of the operators of these two drones is not established by this article.
  • The origin of these two drones is not established by this article.

Sources

  1. Role
    primary_evidence
    Date
    2026-10-17T16:48:56Z

    Les deux drones ont été abattus par des avions F16 de l'armée de l'air roumaine (...) après que les systèmes de surveillance radar ont détecté un groupe de cibles aériennes se déplaçant à environ 120 kilomètres à l'est de l'île Serpent, en direction du sud-ouest.