China massing warships across region in largest show of force yet

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Chinese warships and warplanes are seen during a demonstration in the South China Sea, April 2018. (Reuters)

The Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war in Ukraine.

The ministry said that the drone, which was found in an area 36 nautical miles (66 km) east of Constanta, was a Sea Baby. The Sea Baby is a maritime drone developed by Ukraine.

A Romanian Defence Ministry spokesperson declined to specify the country that the drone came from, but confirmed it was a Sea Baby. The Security Service of Ukraine declined to comment at the time of publication. 

Worries over the safety of shipping in the Black Sea following attacks on Russia-linked tankers, some claimed by Ukraine, have caused insurance rates to rise in a body of water that is crucial for the shipment of grain, oil and oil products.

"The intervention team received approval to neutralize the identified object, in accordance with the operational procedures in force, and at around 1:00 p.m., the maritime drone was destroyed by controlled detonation," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed Black Sea safety on Wednesday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said, after Ankara expressed alarm at the attacks.

Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have a joint task force to defuse stray mines, which began floating in the Black Sea after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Since the war started, roughly 150 drifting mines have been discovered and destroyed, the Romanian navy has said.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, additional reporting by Luiza Ilie, Tom Balmforth; Editing by Sharon Singleton // REUTERS)