Romania, a NATO member, stated on Wednesday that no Russian missile had been detected passing through its airspace, refuting claims made by Ukraine. This follows Ukraine’s report of a massive Russian attack involving 170 drones and missiles targeting its energy infrastructure on Christmas Day.
According to a statement from Romania’s Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian authorities had informed them that a Russian missile reportedly struck Ukraine’s Chernivtsi region after allegedly flying through Moldovan and Romanian airspace.
“At around 7:30 am, the Ukrainian military informed Romanian authorities that a missile from Russian Federation forces, which impacted the Chernivtsi region, was believed to have passed through Moldovan airspace and, for about two minutes, Romanian airspace,” the ministry said.
However, the ministry emphasized that data from Romania’s air surveillance systems and NATO monitoring assets did not corroborate the missile’s presence in Romanian airspace.
Moldova Responds
Meanwhile, border police in neighboring Moldova recovered remnants of a Russian missile, but preliminary findings suggest it did not traverse Moldovan airspace.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the attack, expressing solidarity with Ukraine. “While our countries celebrate Christmas, the Kremlin chooses destruction, targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Escalation of Attacks
The Christmas Day assault on Ukraine’s energy grid marked one of the most extensive missile and drone attacks in recent months, further straining regional tensions as Russia continues its campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Romania and Moldova, both directly affected by the proximity of the conflict, have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine while remaining vigilant about potential airspace violations.
