NATO F-16s Scramble in Defense of Russian Drones

Newsweek reported yesterday that Romania sent F-16 Fighter Jets to protect its skies in response to a Russian drone strike over Ukraine that came close to the border of Romania, a NATO nation.

On Wednesday, Russia conducted drone strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure facilities on Ukrainian ports near the Danube River which provides a natural border between Ukraine and Romania. Access to the Danube River on its Southwestern Coast has also given Ukraine a life-saving export route for its agricultural and other products.

This has made this area of Ukraine a key target for Russian attacks. As Russian drone attacks have increased in recent months on border targets, some of these drones have ended up in NATO territory potentially endangering NATO country populations.

On January 15, 2025, NATO member, Poland had to scramble jets because of Russian drone and missile attacks over Western Ukraine. NATO scrambled jets seven times on one week in December over Lithuania and Romania had another incursion in October of last year.

According to Reuters, in 2023, NATO had to scramble jets 300 times against Russian military maneuvers.

With NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense clause that states an attack upon one NATO country could elicit a military response from them all, there is worry that these increased border incursions near Poland and Romania, could quickly expand the war to other nations in Europe.

The longer this war lasts, the more likely escalation will happen as a Russian planned attack or an accident.

The only way to stop this war is for the United States and the West to give Ukraine the weapons it needs to win the war against Russia and force Russia to the negotiating table.

The AmUkrPAC is committed to working with the US Government to support these ends.

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