Ukrainian Maritime Drones Explode in Romanian Port, Triggering Emergency Response

A Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in the Romanian port of Constanta on Friday morning, and three more detonated offshore, prompting a major emergency response and an evacuation of the area. The unmanned boat, filled with explosives, was discovered stuck in an anti-pollution barrier several hundred meters from the oil terminal area, close to the headquarters of the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea. The vessel detonated at around 10:28am, causing no casualties, as the area had already been secured and the drone was being assessed by Romanian authorities. Around 30 minutes after the initial blast, three more drones exploded – one near the Port of Constanta and two more offshore, the government confirmed in a statement. Romania’s Defense Ministry immediately stated that the drones did not belong to the Romanian military and had not been involved in recent exercises in the Black Sea, describing them as being “of the type used in the war in Ukraine.” Kiev has since confirmed that the drones belonged to the Ukrainian navy, claiming that it had “lost control” of the devices and that they accidentally drifted toward the Romanian port. 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, Commander Sandu Mateiu told local news outlet Digi24. 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 one kilometer 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 stressed 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 that it was a “direct consequence” of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine. 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 confirmation that a Ukrainian aircraft was responsible, or of 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.