In a series of concerning incidents, Russian drones have violated the airspace of both Romania and Latvia within a span of just 24 hours. The first incident occurred on Sunday, when a Russian drone breached Romania's airspace during night-time attacks on neighboring Ukraine, according to reports from the NATO member. In response, Romania scrambled two F16 warplanes to intercept the unauthorized aircraft.

Romania's Ministry of National Defense revealed that the Russian drone intrusion coincided with Russia's targeting of "civilian targets and port infrastructure" across the Danube River in Ukraine. To ensure the safety of its airspace, Romania deployed F-16 warplanes and kept its NATO allies informed about the situation. Additionally, Romanian emergency authorities sent text alerts to residents in the affected regions.

Preliminary data suggests that the Russian drone may have crashed in an uninhabited area near the Romanian village of Periprava. Romanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Fragments of the drone were discovered near the town of Plauru, which is located across the Danube River from Ukraine's port town of Izmail.

The Romanian Defense Ministry strongly condemned the Russian attacks on Ukraine, labeling them "unjustified and in serious contradiction with the norms of international law." NATO's outgoing deputy secretary-general and Romania's former top diplomat, Mircea Geoana, also expressed condemnation for Russia's violation of Romanian airspace, highlighting the military alliance's unified stance against such actions.

Meanwhile, Latvia reported a separate incident involving a Russian military drone that crashed in the country's eastern region on Saturday. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics confirmed the drone had entered Latvian airspace from Belarus. The Latvian military is conducting an investigation, and the government maintains close contact with its NATO allies regarding the matter.

The Latvian Defense Ministry stated that the National Armed Forces detected the unauthorized drone's entry into Latvian territory, monitored its movements, and subsequently located the crash site. As tensions escalate in the region, Latvia is bolstering its defense capabilities and reinforcing air defenses along its eastern border. NATO allies are also conducting air patrolling missions on a rotational basis to ensure the security of the Baltic States.

In response to the incident, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže summoned a representative of the Russian embassy for a meeting on Monday to address the violation of Latvian airspace. This follows Poland's search for the remnants of a suspected Russian drone that allegedly crashed within its territory during the Russian bombardment of Ukraine on August 26.

As the number of such incidents increases along the Eastern flank of NATO, there is a growing recognition of the need for collective action to address these breaches of airspace. The international community's response to these violations and the ongoing investigations will play a crucial role in ensuring regional stability and upholding the principles of international law.