Romanian army divers used explosives to destroy two Russian-made drones found drifting in the Black Sea near the Neptun Deep site, a major offshore gas project that will make Romania the European Union's largest gas producer. Defence Minister Radu Miruță confirmed the incident in a video posted on 11 August, and said Ukraine had verified the drones did not belong to its forces. The find adds to a growing list of incursions and stray Russian weaponry affecting NATO member Romania since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

The two Gerbera-type drones, a Russian-designed model typically used for one-way strikes, reconnaissance or as decoys, were spotted alongside debris by a ship working near Neptun Deep before a Coast Guard vessel and army personnel recovered and disposed of them. It remains unclear whether the drones carried explosives or why they ended up there. Romania has previously suffered damage from stray Russian drones, including a May 2026 strike on an apartment building that injured two people and forced 70 residents to evacuate. Neptun Deep, due to begin production in 2027, is intended to double Romania's gas output and supply countries including Germany and Moldova, making the area strategically sensitive as Europe reduces reliance on Russian energy.