Naval Drone Explodes Near Oil Terminal in Romanian Black Sea Port

BUCHAREST — A naval drone exploded near an oil terminal in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta on Friday morning, Romanian authorities confirmed. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident.
The Russian Embassy in Bucharest claimed the drone was of Ukrainian origin, though no independent verification has been made available at this stage.
The explosion has raised serious security concerns as Constanta is Romania’s largest and most strategically important port, and Romania is a NATO member state. The incident marks a significant escalation, bringing the conflict in the Black Sea dangerously close to European territory.
NATO and Romanian defence officials have yet to issue an official statement on the origin of the drone or the extent of damage caused to port infrastructure. Authorities have placed the area on high alert as investigations are underway.
The Black Sea region has seen increasing military activity since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with both sides deploying naval drones to target vessels and coastal infrastructure.