The solution taken into account for securing the port of Constanța, after the explosion of the Ukrainian drone
Defense Minister Radu Miruță stated, on Antena 3, that the security of Constanța port could be improved if MApN and the Coast Guard connected their capabilities in the area for an early warning related to the appearance of dangers, such as the Ukrainian naval drone that exploded in the port on Friday.
“On the part of the Ministry of Defence, I can confirm that, with the capabilities we have, the maximum is being done. On the part of responsibility closer to the shore, with the Coast Guard, the Border Police, I cannot give you these answers. I think things can be improved a little by a joint connection of the capabilities that those from the Coast Guard have with those from the Ministry of Defense,” said the interim minister of Defense, Radu Miruţă, quoted by News.ro.
“The Ministry of Defense does not filter and guard in the civilian port, so as for how the drone ended up passing to the berth, I understand that there is a problem with capabilities everywhere,” said Miruţă.
Asked to comment on the scenario according to which the Ukrainian drone would have been jammed by the Russians and then intentionally directed by them to targets in the port of Constanța, the minister said: “We are considering all scenarios. At this moment, we do not have a certainty about this situation.”
Also on Saturday, during a press conference held in Constanța, Miruță said that the army's equipment for managing such situations is still insufficient, which is why help is needed from NATO until the equipment contracted through SAFE arrives.
“Every week there are technical discussions about the possibility of improving the operations that the Romanian Army carries out in the area, but the limit is the technical capability available (…) Now, after we proved that what we requested, we ordered in Romania, I went to NATO again and said bluntly that Romania has the legitimacy to ask for something like this. We are not asking to be helped by doing nothing, but we observed what the threats look like, we saw what the shortages are, first we ordered we, as a national responsibility, absolutely everything we need to solve this problem by ourselves”, declared Radu Miruţă.
Miruţă was asked if Romanians can still trust the Ministry of Defense.
“Certainly yes, because the soldiers of the Romanian Army must be judged if they do or not do everything that concerns them, with what they have at their disposal. I, as Minister of Defense, after six months, as a software engineer, who understand what is needed and see what the Romanian Army has, I guarantee you that the soldiers of the Romanian Army do miracles with what they have at their disposal. Do not ask the soldiers to defend with their bare hands against technologies that cost billions of euros. Anyway they do it, with the yield they have, considering this difference in capabilities”, said the Minister of National Defense.
