Romania Expels A Russian Embassy Official Following A Drone Incursion
- 27.07.2026, 17:29
Bucharest took a tough diplomatic step.
Romania has declared a Russian embassy official persona non grata following a series of violations of its airspace.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, by order of the ministry’s head Oana Țoiu, the Russian ambassador to Bucharest Vladimir Lipaev was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The reason was repeated violations of the country’s airspace between July 24 and 26, when the Romanian military shot down three drones that had illegally entered the country’s territory.
During the meeting, the Russian diplomat was shown fragments of one of the destroyed drones. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized, the prosecutor’s office investigation officially confirmed that the components found are of Russian origin.
Russia Received an Official Protest
The Romanian side lodged a strong protest regarding the airspace violations and stated that responsibility for the incidents lies entirely with the Russian Federation.
Bucharest emphasized that such actions are unacceptable, as they concern not only Romania’s airspace but also that of NATO and the European Union. The country’s authorities also held Moscow responsible for the deterioration of the regional security situation.
Diplomat Given Five Days
Following the meeting, the Russian ambassador was handed an official verbal note. The document states that one of the staff members of the Russian diplomatic mission in Bucharest has been declared persona non grata and is required to leave Romanian territory within five days.
At the same time, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled its ambassador to Russia to Bucharest for consultations.
Statement from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The country’s foreign ministry stated that it will continue to coordinate its actions with its allies and partners in NATO and the European Union.
Officials in Bucharest emphasized that they intend to take all necessary measures to protect national security and the safety of their citizens.