Russian Kh-101 Cruise Missile Flies 140 Kilometers, Breaching Romanian Airspace on December 25, 2024

Dec 25, 2024, 09:00 AM

On December 25, 2024, reports emerged indicating that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile may have briefly entered the airspace of Romania after traversing Moldova. Monitoring channels reported that the missile flew approximately 140 kilometers through Moldova before crossing into Romanian airspace near Darabani, Botoșani, and subsequently re-entering Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities claimed that the missile violated Romania's airspace, which is part of NATO, for a short duration. However, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense (MApN) stated that this incursion has not been confirmed. Moldovan President Maia Sandu confirmed that the missile did breach Moldova's airspace before hitting a target in Ukraine. This incident marks a notable development, as only drones had previously breached Romanian airspace.