Ihnat on enemy projectiles over Romania: Russian missiles crossed NATO’s border for the first time

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had an opportunity to shoot down the Russian missiles that had crossed into the airspace of Romania and the Republic of Moldova but did not do so due to risks to the population of a foreign country.

The relevant statement was made by Spokesperson for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yurii Ihnat during a nationwide telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Radars spotted two enemy missiles over the territory of a NATO country, from where they entered the Chernivtsi region. It is the first case of the occupiers’ missiles crossing the border with NATO countries,” Ihnat told.

In his words, Ukraine’s Air Force could have downed the missiles, but there was an obvious risk that the missile fragments would have landed within the territory of the neighboring countries. Thus, the Ukrainian side did not shoot down the enemy projectiles.

A reminder that Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated earlier that, on February 10, 2023, two Russian Kalibr-type cruise missiles crossed the state border between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, and entered Romania’s airspace. After that, they re-entered the airspace of Ukraine at the crossing point of the borders of the three states. The missiles were fired by Russia from the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Romania’s National Defence Ministry has declined to confirm that a Russian missile crossed into its airspace on Friday so far.

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