RAF fighter jets scrambled to threat of Russian drones on Nato border

Two RAF jets were scrambled in the early hours of Saturday morning to respond to the threat of Russian drones on the Nato border.

The Romanian defence ministry said it recovered drone fragments in the southeastern city of Galati after an overnight Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine, with an electricity ​pole and a household annex damaged.

It is understood that two Eurofighter Typhoons were scrambled from Borcea Air Base in Romania, which shares a 650-km land border with Ukraine ⁠and has seen Russian drones repeatedly breach its airspace as Moscow attacks Ukraine ports on ​the other side of the Danube river.

However, MoD sources stressed that RAF Typhoons did not enter Ukrainian airspace, nor did they engage any Russian assets. The two aircraft have now returned to base.

Romanian emergency services were forced to evacuate the area where drone fragments were recovered over fears they could contain explosives. The fragments will now be disposed of in a secure location.

While drone fragments have routinely fallen on Romania, Saturday ​marked the first time property had been damaged.

"The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasises that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in ​the Black Sea area," the Romanian defence ministry said in a statement.

"Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's lack ​of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, ‌but ⁠also the collective security of NATO."

It comes amid mounting tension ​along Europe's eastern flank ​in recent months ⁠after suspected Russian drones breached the airspace of several Nato states.

Romanian law allows it to shoot down drones during peacetime if lives ​or property are at risk, but it has not yet ​done so.

Overnight on Saturday, Russian forces launched more than 600 drones and 47 missiles across Ukraine, the country’s air force said.

At least four people were killed and more than 30 wounded across Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling for “immediate and decisive action” from partners.

It comes amid fears that Vladimir Putin could make progress in his offensive in Ukraine as the world’s attention is diverted to the Middle East, with the Russian president profiting off soaring gas and oil prices caused by the Iran war.

Last month, defence secretary John Healey confirmed that the UK and allies tracked a Russian attack submarine and two spy submarines loitering over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic for a month before they retreated.

He said Putin had sought to capitalise on the world being “distracted” by the Iran war and that he poses “the primary threat to UK security”.

Mr Healey told a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday that in the past few weeks – while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis – the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, responded to “increased Russian activity” in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Addressing the Russian president, Mr Healey said: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”