BUCHAREST, Romania- Romania on Friday denied Russian missiles flew over the country, rejecting Kyiv's claims that two Russian missiles crossed the airspace of the NATO-member on their way to Ukraine.
Romania detected an "aerial target launched from the Black Sea from a ship of the Russian Federation" but "at no point did it intersect with Romania's airspace," the ministry of defence said.
"The closest point of the target's trajectory from Romania's airspace was registered by the radar systems at approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) north-east of the border," the statement added.
Two Romanian Air Force MiG-21 LanceR aircraft on air policing duty under NATO command were sent towards the north of Romania "to supplement our reaction options," the statement added.
Ukraine's armed forces chief had said two Russian missiles crossed the airspace of Romania, as well as Moldova, on their way to Ukraine.
If confirmed, it would have been the first violation of Romania's airspace since the beginning of the war.
Neighbouring Moldova has confirmed it detected "a missile that crossed the airspace of Moldova" and has summoned the Russian ambassador.
Moldova has already seen debris of Russian missiles during the nearly year-long Russian invasion of Ukraine.