NATO member Romania, a key ally of Kyiv, has repeatedly seen violations of its airspace and drone fragments falling onto its soil following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"At 00:44, a drone deflected by Ukrainian air defence entered national airspace for a distance of approximately four kilometres" (2.5 miles), the defence ministry said on Thursday.

"The drone crashed two kilometres from the village of Parches, outside the inhabited area," it said.

No casualties or property damage were reported, only "a patch of burned vegetation and drone debris", it added.

People in the area received phone alerts about the possible danger.

The drone was found after someone alerted the authorities, according to emergency services.

Two F-16 aircraft were scrambled during the night.

In 2025, Romania adopted a law allowing it to shoot down drones which breach its airspace, but no such action has been taken so far.

Earlier this month, Ukraine and Romania announced their intention to produce drones together in Romania using up to 200 million euros ($230 million) funding from the EU's SAFE Initiative.

The two countries signed a statement of intent on the matter during a visit to Bucharest by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.