BUCHAREST, July 27. /TASS/. The Romanian foreign ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Bucharest Vladimir Lipaev to lodge a protest over the alleged violation of the country’s airspace by Russian drones and announce the expulsion of an embassy employee, the Russian embassy in Bucharest said.

"The diplomat categorically rejected the groundless accusations against Russia, slamming them as another propaganda show meant to prevent further strikes by the Russian armed forces against Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube and in the Black Sea, which is actively used by NATO for supplying the Ukrainian army with weapons and equipment via Romania’s territory," the embassy said in a press statement. "No evidence was presented to prove that the drones belonged to Russia. None of the questions regarding the technical flight parameters was answered."

According to the statement, the Russian ambassador stressed that "Russia has never targeted combat drones at facilities in Romania and is not doing this, and that any speculations on this topic are absolutely groundless, whoever they come from."

"The Romanian side’s attention was drawn to the fact that support for the Kiev terrorist regime in any format is absolutely ‘inadmissible and unacceptable’ and leads to the conflict protraction and new human casualties," the statement underscores. "The ambassador warned against further escalation of confrontation with Russia and any attempts by Romanian air defense forces to conduct cross-border operations, which would mean Romania's involvement in direct combat operations on Ukrainian territory."

The unsubstantiated expulsion of a Russian embassy employee will not remain unanswered by Russia," the ministry stressed.

Romania’s foreign ministry said earlier that it had summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev in connection with "repeated violations of Romania’s airspace between July 24 and 26, 2026, when the Romanian army shot down three drones that had entered the national territory without permission." The Russian diplomatic envoy received a verbal note demanding that one of the Russian diplomats should leave the country within five days. Romania has also recalled its ambassador from Moscow to Bucharest for consultations.