Radu Miruță: "NATO is functioning, the Romanian Army is doing its duty to the maximum with what it has available"

Radu Miruță, the Minister of Defense, emphasized in a Facebook post that Romania defends its territory and reacts firmly to aerial threats, confirming the success of recent interventions by the Romanian Army.

He reaffirmed that Romania's borders and sovereignty are non-negotiable: „The borders, airspace, and sovereignty of Romania are non-negotiable. NATO is functioning, the Romanian Army is fulfilling its duty to the maximum with what it has available, and we will continue to invest in the defense of citizens, national territory, and the eastern flank of the Alliance”.

Miruță explained the use of F-16 aircraft in intercepting drones, emphasizing that protecting the population is essential, and costs cannot be compared to human lives: „The calculation is not made by comparing the price of a missile with that of a drone. The lives of people and the safety of the communities we protect are in the equation, and they have no price. We use ground-based air defense capabilities, but their range of action is limited”.

The Ministry of Defense has accelerated the equipping with anti-drone systems and is constantly reassessing risks:

„I will tell you what I have been doing for six months, alongside the new acquisitions. Until the new systems enter service, we are constantly adapting the defense device in Dobrogea. Periodically – weekly, or once every two weeks – we analyze the lessons learned, update procedures, and reposition resources where needed.

We are upgrading what can be modernized and researching components recovered from Russian drones to maximize the efficiency of launch solutions.

„The results from the last 24 hours confirm that this strategy works. These are not words, they are facts. Existing capabilities have been reorganized, we have modernized what can be upgraded in a short time, and we are researching components recovered from downed drones to maximize the efficiency of launch solutions. We have requested additional support within NATO, we are accelerating acquisitions, constantly analyzing scenarios, and making decisions before threats turn into real dangers”.

Regarding the criticisms related to interventions, Miruță assured that the interception was carried out under safe conditions:

„From the moment it entered Romania's airspace, the drone was permanently tracked. The interception was made exactly at the moment when the necessary conditions were met to safely shoot it down. Yesterday it took longer, today only a few minutes.

The responsibility of a minister and soldiers is not just to shoot down a target, but to do it, with the means they have available, without putting people's lives at risk. We do not risk having fragments of the drone or interceptor fall over homes or on the population just to satisfy the spectacle of some internet commentators.

At the same time, he stated that, regardless of whether he is on vacation, the responsibility for security remains the same

The minister encouraged the population to inform themselves from official sources and reaffirmed the commitment of the Romanian Army to protect citizens.