Eastern NATO countries, whose defense ministers met in Bucharest on Wednesday, have repeatedly stated that Russia’s activities in the Black Sea region and beyond are a major source of concern.
Earlier this month, NATO members Romania and Latvia reported Russian drones crashing after violating their airspace, prompting official calls for coordinated measures to combat Russia’s aerial incursions.
Last week, Ukraine accused Russia of using strategic bombers to target a civilian grain ship in a missile attack in Black Sea waters near Romania, further escalating tensions between Moscow and the military alliance.
“The B9 States (the eastern border countries of the alliance) are deeply concerned about the repeated Russian drone and missile incursions into NATO airspace, in Poland, Romania, Latvia, as well as the escalation of tensions along NATO’s eastern flank,” Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar told reporters.
“This is why a robust and coordinated response at the allied level is necessary, along with the rapid implementation of rotating air defense and the integrated missile defense model.”
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski stated that the upcoming NATO Defense Ministers’ meeting in October would need to address the destruction of drones violating allied airspace.
“We have confirmed hybrid attacks against allies, as well as Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s actions,” Zalewski added.
Romania shares a 650 km border with Ukraine, and last year, fragments of Russian drones frequently entered its territory. The country is also close to Ukraine’s Danube River ports, which are frequent targets of Russian strikes. “Everything that can burn is already burning there (and exploding).”
In the past, Russian state media reported that a large stockpile of conventional weapons was located at the site of the explosions. State media, now subject to military censorship laws, was subdued in its coverage on Wednesday (18th).
Igor Rudenya, the governor of the Tver region, said Ukrainian drones were shot down, there was a fire, and some residents were being evacuated. He did not specify what was burning.
One woman told Reuters that her family members had been evacuated from Toropets.
“A fire started with explosions,” said the woman, who identified herself only as Irina.
Later, Rudenya said the situation in Toropets was stable as of noon local time, and residents who had been evacuated could return. The fire had been extinguished, and there were no reports of deaths, he said.
A source from Ukraine’s state security service (SBU) told Reuters that the drone attack destroyed a depot of missiles, guided bombs, and artillery ammunition. There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian government.
Both Russia and Ukraine reported dozens of enemy drone attacks on their territories overnight, with Russian forces advancing in eastern Ukraine.
