Ukraine, Romania dispute information about Russian UAV falling on their territory

Ukraine claims that a Russian UAV crashed and exploded on Romanian territory, but Bucharest denies this information.

"According to the Ukrainian border guard service, during a major raid near the port of Izmail last night, Russian 'Shahed' UAVs crashed and exploded on Romanian territory," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Facebook today, referring to the port in Odessa region.

Mr Nikolenko posted a picture of smoke and flames after an explosion on the other side of the Danube River, on the border between Odessa and Romania. He described it as another sign that Russian attacks “threaten not only Ukraine’s security but also its neighbours, including NATO members”.

Romania's Defense Ministry later issued a statement "completely" denying the Ukrainian information. "Russia's offensive measures have never posed a direct military threat to Romania's territory or territorial waters," the agency said.

Russian officials have not commented on the information.

While the war with Russia has largely been fought on Ukrainian territory, Kiev has occasionally claimed that the conflict has spread to several European countries. NATO has rejected these claims.

Image courtesy of Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko — Image of smoke and fire on the banks of the Danube River posted by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko on Facebook on September 4. Photo: *Facebook/Oleg Nikolenko*

Ukraine on September 3 accused Russia of launching a suicide drone attack on the Danube port of Reni in Odessa province. The Russian Defense Ministry later announced that its forces used UAVs to attack and destroy fuel depots serving the Ukrainian army in Reni.

The Danube River has become Ukraine's main grain export route since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July. Ukrainian grain is transported by barge from the ports of Reni and Izmail in Odessa province to the Romanian seaport of Constanta, then on to other destinations.

The grain initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye in July 2022, would allow Ukraine to resume seaborne exports of corn, wheat and other agricultural products. In return, the West would remove barriers to Russian food and fertilizer exports.

Russia suspended the extension of the initiative in mid-July, saying that its provisions were not being implemented. Moscow added that it could consider returning to the agreement if it saw concrete results, rather than promises.