NATO member Romania shoots down stray drones from Ukraine war after years of incursions

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Since Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has repeatedly spilled across Romania's border as drones violate the airspace of the neighboring European Union and NATO member.

Now Romania is trying something new to stop the incursions: shooting down the drones.

Romanian pilots shot down the first of three drones in as many days from F-16 fighter jets starting Friday as Russia intensified attacks against Ukraine near the border. After determining the drones were of Russian origin, Romania summoned Moscow’s ambassador in protest and expelled a Russian diplomat on Monday.

Drones have crossed into Romanian territory multiple times from Ukraine to the north and east, including in May when a drone injured a mother and child after crashing into an apartment block in the eastern town of Galati along the Danube River.

Romanian authorities largely responded by scrambling jets, collecting debris, erecting fallout shelters near the border and frequently admonishing Moscow for its war spilling into its territory.

Romania and Poland also acquired the MEROPS system, which fires short counter-drones to take down incoming stray drones, following a spate of incursions along NATO’s eastern flank late last year.

Drones have crossed into the territories of multiple EU countries, but have been a persistent problem for Romania's leadership in the capital Bucharest. At least 19 have entered Romania’s airspace this year, while there have been 50 cases of drones or drone fragments identified on its territory since the war started in 2022, according to Romania's Ministry of National Defense.

Romanian President Nicusor Dan on Sunday congratulated the Romanian pilots for downing the drones and blamed Russia for the incursions.

“It is unacceptable and intolerable for the Russian Federation to continue violating Romanian airspace,” he said.

Despite passing legislation last year to shoot down drones in its airspace, which was strongly opposed by nationalist political parties, Romania has avoided shooting them down until now.

Romanian military analyst Radu Tudor said the May drone incident in Galati may have “changed something in the Romanian authorities’ mentality” in how to approach the issue.

“This was somehow a kind of psychological trigger, in order to say: ‘OK, enough is enough,’” Tudor said. “Until now, it probably was an Allied decision in NATO not to respond with firepower, because it was somehow a danger of escalation.”

“I think it’s not only a change of attitude of Romania, I think it’s a change of attitude in NATO,” he added.

Before the three interceptions over the past week, Romanian pilots also shot down a stray Ukrainian drone above Estonia in May. Romanian pilots and planes are based in Lithuania to provide broad strike capabilities for NATO.

“They saw so many signals that Russia is trying to provoke NATO,” Tudor said. “Romania is the only NATO country who shot down four drones on the eastern flank — three on Romania and one in Estonia.”

The message sent to Moscow mirrors a statement by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the organization's summit in Ankara, Turkey, earlier this month: “‘Don’t play with us’.”

In response to the drone incursions, Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia’s ambassador in Bucharest on Monday and presented him with fragments of a drone, saying Moscow “bears exclusive responsibility for all these grave incidents.” The ministry also expelled a member of the Russian mission, who was given five days to leave the country.

“The Russian side learned what they already knew: the drones downed on Romanian territory belong to them,” Foreign Minister Oana Toiu wrote in a post on X. “Drone fragments recovered by the Ministry of National Defence and the ongoing prosecutor investigation confirm their Russian origin beyond any doubt.”

The Russian embassy in Romania responded in a statement posted on its Facebook page, saying Russia “has never directed and does not direct combat drones” to Romanian territory and denied the allegation as “completely unfounded.”

“An unprovoked expulsion of a Russian employee will not go unanswered,” the embassy said.

Cristian Popovici, the Romanian defense ministry’s head of public relations and a former air defense officer, said tactics have been developed to eliminate errant drones.

“We recorded more than 100 attacks with drones near our border with Ukraine, and many of them resulted in debris or even drones that penetrated our airspace,” he told The Associated Press. “Our pilots and our air force, we developed the tactics, procedures, and now we can face and we can eliminate this threat.”

The change began when Romanian pilots shot down a drone over Estonian airspace and from that point the military applied “lessons learned” and had a “100% rate success in three days with three drones,” Popovici said.

Despite the new approach to stray drones, Popovici said Romania does not plan to become entangled in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“We are in a peacetime, we are not involved in this fight,” he said. “If Russia wants to escalate with NATO, it’s up to them. I’m not sure it’s a wise move now.”

McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England.

FILE - Romanian Air Force F-16 military fighter jets escort a C-27J Spartan aircraft during a NATO Air Policing exercise above eastern Romania, on March 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File)

FILE - Pilots of the Romanian Air Force fly F-16 fighter jets above the runway of the Aurel Vlaicu airport, on the first day of the Bucharest International Air Show, BIAS, in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File)

FILE - Romania's President Nicusor Dan arrives for the EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Havana, file)

FILE - F16 fighter jets of the Romanian Air Force and the Romania based European F-16 Training Center (EFTC), perform a fly-by at the Black Sea, Defense, Aerospace and Security (BSDA) international exhibition in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

PARIS (AP) — Moments after being announced as France's new coach on Tuesday, Zinedine Zidane clenched his fists and his usually measured voice trembled a little.

“I’m excited,” he said. “The France team makes you dream. We have extraordinary players, an extraordinary team.”

Zidane coached Real Madrid until leaving in 2021. He replaces Didier Deschamps at the helm of France team he led to glory as arguably its greatest ever player.

“I’ve waited five years for this chance, so that’s why I’m a bit emotional,” said Zidane, adding that it was the happiest day of his career as coach.

“I’ve always watched this side as a fan and also as a future coach, I won’t hide it.” Zidane added. “That’s why I didn’t take a club side. I told myself that the only thing I wanted to do after Madrid was taking the France team.”

French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo announced Zidane’s appointment at the FFF headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, saying he has been given a 4-year contract.

Diallo called the hiring of Zidane “an exceptional moment, exceptional because of the person sat next to me,” adding that Zidane “is one of the legends of French soccer.”

The 54-year-old Zidane could have gone to another club after leaving Madrid in 2021. But there was no way he would.

“I had some offers during the five years I was away to take charge of a club,” he said. “I turned them all down for the France team. It was the only thing I wanted to do.”

Zidane called it “an immense joy” taking charge.

“I have so many emotions, I am ready for the challenge,” he said. “That's what motivates me.”

Zidane praised Deschamps, who won the 2018 World Cup and stepped down after the recent edition, where Les Bleus lost in the semifinals to Spain.

“Today I have the opportunity to be in charge of this team and I will give everything so that this team can win,” Zidane said. “I would also like to congratulate DD (Deschamps) for these remarkable years.”

Diallo said he met Zidane for talks in February, 2025 after Deschamps said he would stand down after the 2026 World Cup. Zidane said France would play differently to how it did under Deschamps.

“What motivates me is the game, I was a No. 10, I like goals,” Zidane said. “I was a leader on the field and now I want to be a leader by experience.”

His first game as France coach will be away to Turkey in the Nations League on Sept. 25, followed by a match in Belgium three days later.

Home fans need to wait until Oct. 2 for a glimpse of Zidane at Stade de France, when France plays Italy, 20 years after he was sent off against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest.

“I’ve noted all of the four matches to come, they're in my head,” Zidane said, tapping his forehead. “Italy is special, because I played there, because I know people, because I speak Italian. All of those things.”

After the announcement, Zidane went to greet a large gathering of fans outside the federation headquarters and they cheered loudly when he arrived.

France lost the World Cup final on penalties in 2022 and lost the European Championship final on home soil in 2016. Some Deschamps critics, among them former France teammate Christophe Dugarry, said he should have won more with the players he had.

Deschamps described an “an unbreathable atmosphere” at the end of his tenure, without detailing what the tensions were.

Zidane and Deschamps were different types of midfielders, but are forever linked by glory.

The industrious Deschamps was France’s captain and the mercurial Zinedine was the creative force when France won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

Affectionately nicknamed “Zizou” his face was beamed onto the Arc de Triomphe the night France celebrated its first World Cup triumph in ’98. An inspired Zidane scored two headers in the final in a 3-0 win against Brazil at Stade de France and later that year he won the Ballon d’Or.

Born in Marseille to Algerian parents, Zidane’s club career took him from Cannes to Bordeaux and then to two of the world’s biggest clubs: Italian giant Juventus and Madrid.

His international career began in 1994, when he scored two stunning goals against the Czech Republic after coming on as a substitute, in front of his home fans in Bordeaux.

He won league titles with Juve and Madrid and scored a brilliant volley to help Madrid win the Champions League in 2002.

With Zidane carrying an injury, France flopped at the 2002 World Cup — going out in the group stage — but reached the final four years later after Zidane came out of international retirement.

His 108th and final game for France was against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final and he scored early with a deft Panenka-style penalty for his 31st, and last, international goal.

Then, with millions watching around the world, an infamous moment saw him walk back up the field and slam his forehead into Materazzi’s chest, sending the tall defender flying backward.

Zidane trudged past the gold-tinted World Cup trophy as he left the field in Berlin, his international career over.

His first game as France coach will be away to Turkey in the Nations League on Sept. 25, followed by a match in Belgium three days later.

Home fans need to wait until Oct. 2 for a glimpse of Zidane at Stade de France, when France plays Italy.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Zinedine Zidane, newly appointed coach of the France national soccer team, smiles during a media conference at the headquarters of French Football Federation headquarters in Paris, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Zinedine Zidane, newly appointed coach of the France national soccer team, attends a media conference at the headquarters of French Football Federation headquarters in Paris, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Zinedine Zidane, newly appointed coach of the France national soccer team, smiles during a media conference at the headquarters of French Football Federation headquarters in Paris, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

France head coach Didier Deschamps stands by the bench during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

FILE - Zinedine Zidane of France displays the World Cup after the final of the soccer World Cup 98 between Brazil and France at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Sunday, July 12, 1998. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle, file)

FILE - Former French player Zinedine Zidane, left, embraces Kylian Mbappe of France, as he is being presented to fans as a new Real Madrid player in Madrid, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas, File)