A NATO fighter jet has shot down a drone that breached Romania in the early hours of this morning.

Two Spanish F-18 planes were deployed after the unmanned aircraft was discovered entering the national airspace about 14 miles north of Galați.

Activity at the Torrejon de Ardoz military base on the occasion of the National Day of Spain parade in MadridA McDonnell Douglas EF-18B Hornet of the Spanish Air Force flies over the Torrejon de Ardoz military base in Madrid Credit: Getty

Reiterating that his country is “the first line of defence of the European Union,” defence minister, Radu Miruță, said on Facebook: “At 5.01am, the drone was intercepted and destroyed between the localities of Băleni and Cudalbi, in Galați county, in an unpopulated area.

“Romania defends its airspace, and our allies are with us.”

Romania has experienced frequent drone incursions since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine – and this is the fourth unmanned aircraft the country has shot down just this year.