The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has published a map showing the sabotage operations and attacks that Russia has carried out in Europe. Romania is also featured on the map.
Our country is depicted on the ISW map, after Russian drones breached national airspace, and authorities thwarted multiple sabotage attempts.
At least 14 unauthorized entries of Russian drones into national airspace have been detected since the beginning of the conflict, stated Defense Minister Radu Miruță, on Digi24, and one penetrated 8 km into Romania's airspace in November, prompting the interception of four fighter jets, after which it crashed in Vaslui county. Additionally, authorities have reported over 40 instances where drone fragments have landed in Romania.
Moreover, SRI thwarted a sabotage operation orchestrated by Russia on Romanian territory last year, where two Ukrainians who entered the country from Poland, coordinated by Russian intelligence services, intended to set fire to the headquarters of the Ukrainian courier company NOVA POST in Bucharest. The Russian network also operated in Poland, and the intelligence services of the two states coordinated their actions against it.
Additionally, the case of the Colombian captured in December 2024 spying for the Russians triggered a broader investigation in Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Lithuania. Investigators found that the individual based in Russia who recruited the Colombian had also recruited other individuals to act in multiple states.
Meanwhile, Belarus continues to increase the frequency of its balloon intrusions into Polish airspace, as reported by ISW.
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces reported that Polish radar systems detected the intrusion of "balloon-like objects" into Polish airspace on the night of February 1 to 2, noting fewer balloon law violations than in previous nights.
Since January 27, Belarus has launched balloon-like objects into Polish airspace four times in five days.
According to American military analysts, Russia has de facto annexed Belarus and likely uses airspace intrusions into NATO states like Lithuania and Poland from Belarus as part of its "Phase Zero" effort - the phase to establish informational and psychological conditions - to prepare for a potential war with NATO in the future.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski accused Belarus of "waging hybrid warfare" against his country on Thursday in Brussels. Sikorski stated that the incident highlighted the "nature of the regime" led by dictator Alexander Lukashenko, combining foreign policy maneuvers with illegal activities, according to Polskie Radio.
T.D.