NATO issues caution to Eurofighter jets stationed in Romania

In the ongoing context of the war in Ukraine, a recent incident involving Russian air strikes occurred on the Ukrainian border region with Romania. Despite the close proximity, the Ukrainian border region with Romania was not violated during the incident.

As part of the ongoing response to the war in Ukraine, NATO scrambled two German Eurofighters in response to Russian activity. These combat aircraft, which are part of an alert squadron that is ready for takeoff around the clock, took off from the Romanian military airport Mihail Kogălniceanu.

The German Armed Forces spokesman confirmed that Russian weapons systems approached Romanian airspace, prompting the swift action by NATO. The deployment of the German Eurofighters marks the first alert takeoff of the new German deployment, which started this month and is scheduled to last until March 2026.

The deployment includes five Eurofighters and approximately 170 soldiers, and is intended to provide military capabilities that the NATO partner lacks on its own. Several NATO countries are taking turns providing support on the southeastern flank during the current deployment, including Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy.

The air force is currently participating in armed protective flights on NATO's southeastern flank as part of the enhanced Air Policing South mission. The aircraft that took off from the Romanian military airport Mihail Kogălniceanu landed without incident, marking a successful response to the recent incident.

It is worth noting that the German Eurofighters are not mentioned to have violated Romanian airspace in the recent incident. This deployment is a clear demonstration of NATO's commitment to the security and stability of its members and partners in the region.

The incident took place overnight on Wednesday, underscoring the need for vigilance and rapid response in the current geopolitical climate. As the situation in Ukraine continues to evolve, it is likely that NATO will remain vigilant and prepared to respond to any further challenges to peace and security in the region.