Romania has blamed Russia for attacks on vessels in the Black Sea, and the issue will be discussed at the NATO General Assembly.
As Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Ţoiu reported, air, sea and rescue services are searching for missing crew members of a civilian vessel that Russian forces attacked in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.
Five rescued sailors have already been airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Constanţa. The injured are in a stable condition; some are receiving treatment for burns and smoke inhalation.
According to the head of Romania’s diplomatic service, four civilian vessels have come under attack over the past 24 hours, including in Romania’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. Eight people were killed in the shelling.
Ţoiu stressed that Russia is turning the Black Sea into a dangerous area for civilian shipping and bears full responsibility for crimes and the deaths of seafarers. She also noted that there has recently been a recorded increase in the number of Russian Shahed-type drones and other aerial and maritime drones violating the country’s airspace. As a result, the military has already scrambled fighter jets to patrol.
“Bucharest has informed allies and European partners about these incidents. The countries have agreed to hold a NATO General Assembly in the coming days. The meeting will be convened by Secretary General Mark Rutte after a meeting with President Nicuşor Dan and Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rumen Radev. Romania continues to insist on a ceasefire in the Black Sea area in order to eliminate risks to civilian vessels and restore the safety of navigation on this important global artery for food trade,” the foreign minister stressed.
- These incidents occurred after drone attacks on at least five other cargo vessels near the coast of Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria, which is also a NATO member.
- Romania shares a 614-kilometre border with Ukraine, much of it running along the Danube. Over the past four years, the country has repeatedly reported violations of its airspace by Russian drones.