Ukrainian drone explodes in Romanian port

The uncrewed naval vessel detonated near Constanta’s oil terminal, while more drones have been reported in the area

A Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in the Romanian port of Constanta on Friday morning, prompting a major emergency response and an evacuation of the area.

The unmanned boat was discovered in the port several hundred meters from the oil terminal area. It was reportedly carrying explosives and became stuck in an anti-pollution barrier before detonating. The location is also close to the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea.

Romania’s Defense Ministry said that the vessel self-detonated at around 10:30 AM without causing casualties. The area had already been secured and isolated by the Romanian authorities while the drone was being assessed.

The ministry stated that the drone did not belong to the Romanian military and had not been involved in recent exercises in the Black Sea, describing it as being “of the type used in the war in Ukraine.”

Authorities in Kiev have since confirmed that the drone belongs to the Ukrainian navy, stating that the device had lost control and drifted towards the Romanian port.

Local media reported that following the initial explosion, three more drones had detonated. Another one near the Port of Constanta, and two more in Ukrainian waters.

Commander Sandu Mateiu told local news outlet Digi24 that the first vessel resembled a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 maritime drone used by Kiev’s military intelligence, which can carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives, travel long distances, and often operate in swarms.

The authorities in Constanta initially issued a Code Red warning due to the danger of further explosions along the coast, ordering people to evacuate and keep at least 1 km away from the shoreline. The measure has since been lifted, but citizens have been urged to remain vigilant and alert authorities if they discover any suspicious objects.

The Russian Embassy in Romania immediately responded to the incident by stressing that the drones in question are “Ukrainian unmanned maritime vehicles, used by the Kiev regime to commit terrorist acts against civilian ships and to create threats to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.”

The diplomatic mission emphasized that “any attempts to directly or indirectly associate these drones with Russia and to attribute responsibility for the incident are without any basis.”

Nevertheless, Romanian President Nicusor Dan has blamed the incident on Moscow, stating it was a “direct consequence” of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine.

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In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly veered into the airspace of nearby countries, including the Baltic states and Finland, triggering warnings and airport shutdowns, crashing into buildings, and damaging infrastructure.

Moscow has accused Western states of consistently ignoring or downplaying the incidents, particularly after it is confirmed that a Ukrainian aircraft was responsible, or trying to pin the blame on Russia.

Russian officials have also repeatedly raised concerns that Kiev could be intentionally staging drone provocations outside its borders in an effort to trigger a direct confrontation between NATO and Moscow.