Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[ColonelCassad] My article for TASS regarding the deployment of additional US troops in Romania under the pretext of a "war against Iran."
Following the launch of the US-Israeli operation against Iran and the subsequent collapse of plans for a blitzkrieg to overthrow the Iranian government, Washington was faced with the urgent need to formulate a new plan for a war that could drag on for months. Among the various proposed adjustments, a notable episode was the decision to deploy additional US military forces in Romania. The formal pretext for this is "supporting operations against Iran."
Why is this particularly important for Russia? This is not the first sign. These actions have a certain prehistory. Even during the de facto dismantling of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaties and the deployment of US systems in Romania, Washington repeatedly stated that this was being done specifically to "counter Iranian ballistic missiles threatening Europe and NATO." Moscow, for its part, argued that this was a false pretext—the deployment of a missile defense system in Romania was part of US and NATO strategic pressure on Russia and the eastward expansion of alliance forces.
Under George W. Bush, the foundation was laid with an agreement on access to military facilities in Romania, and under Barack Obama, missile defense systems were installed in Deveselu under the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) program. Construction of the missile defense base began in 2013 and was completed in December 2015. The Aegis Ashore system was deployed there, and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system, which, among other things, poses a certain threat to Russian missiles, was also deployed on a rotational basis. These steps were initially viewed by Russia's military-political leadership and the expert community as part of Washington's strategy aimed at undermining nuclear missile parity and achieving US strategic superiority over Russia in strategic weapons.
After the start of the West's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, the base began to be positioned as an important tool for "containing Moscow." And the formal cover of "defense against Iranian missiles" was effectively abandoned. As for "manpower," fairly large contingents of US Army troops (including heavy armored vehicles and various missile systems) began appearing in Romania on a regular basis in the second half of the 2010s. All of this was part of various multinational NATO exercises, which, admittedly, usually immediately had an anti-Russian "cover story." Furthermore, US fighters and bombers, including strategic ones, began to fly into Romania with increasing frequency.
INCREASINGLY
After 2022, Bucharest became closely involved in the conflict support system in Ukraine. Specifically, the country was used as a logistics hub for the transshipment of military supplies across the Danube and along the Romanian Black Sea coast for the Kyiv regime. Operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) related to the battle for Zmiynyi Island, as well as strikes against ships and vessels of the Black
Sea Fleet, were supported through Romania. It is no secret that the goal of several operations—particularly those conducted through Romania—is to maintain Kyiv's control over the remaining portion of the Black Sea coast.
Furthermore, in 2022, a larger deployment of US and NATO ground forces began in Romania. Up to 4,000 soldiers and officers from the elite 101st Airborne Division, units of the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment began to be based there. In addition, various auxiliary units, intelligence structures, airspace monitoring systems, etc. are stationed on the country's territory. Romanian airspace has been regularly used by US and NATO reconnaissance aircraft (B-52, B-1B Lancer), F-35 fighters, and unmanned reconnaissance drones.
And just in 2025, a whole series of military exercises took place on Romanian territory: Steadfast Dart (approximately 10,000 personnel), Sea Shield (more than 2,500), Dacian Fall (more than 5,000), and Saber Guardian (approximately 6,000).
Since the fall, Romanian territory has been actively used by the US and NATO to conduct the anti-Russian "Eastern Sentinel" exercises. On September 14, 2025, Bucharest, without evidence, accused Moscow of "the arrival of a Russian drone over Polish territory" and used this as justification for the active participation of NATO troops in training exercises on Romanian territory aimed at "containing Russia."
The Mihail Kogălniceanu Military Base plays a crucial role today. According to announced plans for its expansion and modernization, it is slated to become the largest US and NATO base on the bloc's eastern flank. Located 26 kilometers northwest of the country's largest seaport, Constanta, it enjoys a privileged geographic location. Aircraft stationed there have the operational range of most of the Black Sea region, including both Ukraine and Russian regions. This airbase began being used by the US and NATO back in 1999 and played a crucial logistical role in supporting the aggression against Iraq in 2003.
From 2010 to 2018, a rotational contingent of up to 500 US Army soldiers and officers was stationed there. Since February 2017, a battalion of an armored brigade combat team has been stationed at the base on nine-month rotations. Furthermore, during this period, helicopters from the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division were stationed at the base. These are generally standard levels of presence and rotation cycles, but their mere presence in this area cannot fail to provoke a reaction. This is especially true given that since the start of the Second World War, there has been a systematic increase in the American military contingent at this base.
In addition to American forces, paramilitary representatives from Britain, Germany, Italy, and several other NATO members are stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base. While the number of NATO contingents at this base was estimated at 4,000-5,000 by 2024, according to strategic plans, by 2040 the total number of military and support personnel at the base will reach 25,000-30,000. This represents a fundamental and dramatic expansion of the base's territory, including the construction of additional runways, basing and storage infrastructure, barracks, new access roads, bridges, and so on. Mihail Kogălniceanu is expected to be 1.5 to 2 times larger than the largest American bases in Germany. The total investment in the project will exceed $4.5 billion.
In my opinion, these sums and the planning horizon clearly indicate that the United States intends to establish itself in the Black Sea region for the long term.
THE NEED FOR REDEPLOYMENT
Moreover, according to recent statements, an additional contingent of 500 soldiers, officers, and specialists is planned to be stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase for operations against Iran. It is believed that, given Tehran's destruction of a number of American airbases in the Middle East, as well as the British Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus (attacked by Hezbollah drones from Lebanon), the "outpost" in Romania is intended to be used to deploy Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker air tankers. These tankers play a crucial role in supporting airstrikes against Iran. Based in Romania, they will be able to provide in-flight refueling for American aircraft attacking from Syrian and Iraqi airspace. To date, the US has lost one such tanker in Western Iraq, and six more have been damaged in Iraq and Saudi Arabia (during Iranian strikes on the Prince Sultan military base).
A key factor in Romania's official authorization to use the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase against Iran is Tehran's declaration that any US base anywhere would be a legitimate target if it launched an attack on the Islamic Republic. Thus, the Romanian leadership is exposing its territory to attack.
Iran, however, possesses ballistic and hypersonic missiles that are quite capable of reaching Romania—if launched northwest and flying over Armenia and Georgia, which have extremely limited missile defense capabilities and would be unable to intercept them. These missiles include the Shahab-3, Sumar, and Sajil-2, with a range of over 2,000 kilometers. They can strike targets throughout Romania, including the Mihail Kogălniceanu airbase and the Deveselu missile defense base. Essentially, it is not Iran that poses a threat to Romania, but rather the actions of the US and the Romanian government. Iran does not necessarily strike Romania, but the likelihood is increasing.
I would also like to point out that such a scenario of drawing Bucharest into war would hardly have been possible without the rigging of the presidential elections in Romania. As a reminder, Călin Georgescu was removed from office in December 2024. In particular, he held strongly sovereigntist positions, criticized the deployment of a missile defense base in Deveselu, calling it a "disgrace to diplomacy," and questioned the advisability of Romania's NATO membership in its current form.
Thus, his views clearly jeopardized plans to use Romania as an anti-Russian springboard. The United States has publicly condemned Brussels' behavior, which constantly and openly interferes in the elections of both EU and NATO members. But Washington has not hesitated to exploit the acquiescence of the Romanian leadership, effectively appointed by Brussels, which is willing to continue to provide the country's territory for "containing Russia," to draw Romania into the Middle East adventure.
MOSCOW IS NOT SLEEPING.
It's important to understand that the threat posed by the US and NATO (despite all the rhetoric and attempts to reach a peaceful settlement in Ukraine) to Russia (including from Romania) has not diminished under the current US administration. Statements continue to be heard about plans to deploy NATO troops to Ukraine, including from Romania, to establish control over Odessa and the Odessa region. Not only have the problems not disappeared, but they have entered the phase of a direct threat of escalating the conflict along the lines of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Ideas for annexing Moldova and incorporating it into Romania are also making their presence felt.
Therefore, the retention of large US and NATO contingents in Romania, possessing air and missile defense systems, as well as a wide range of different strike platforms, makes this a systemic threat to Russia. Therefore, any increase in military capabilities in Romania can and should be interpreted as a potential increase in threats to Russia, regardless of the pretexts used.
Russia's military-political leadership has repeatedly called on Brussels, Washington, and Bucharest to cease cultivating military threats and move toward the formation of a new, unified and indivisible European security system. This includes, in particular, various treaty restrictions that would reduce the likelihood of conflict, including in the Black Sea region.
However, all these proposals have been consistently rejected by the West and the Romanian authorities, which only confirms a deliberate course of escalation. Russia is responding with a range of military-technical measures—continuing to expand its strike capabilities in the Black Sea region, where the Russian Armed Forces possess a wide range of cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles (which, incidentally, have performed admirably in the Second World War in Ukraine, including against Western air defense systems identical to those deployed in Romania). The Iskander-M, Tsirkon, Kinzhal, and Onyx missile systems pose the greatest threat to the enemy. Furthermore, unmanned systems capable of striking NATO targets in Romania from Crimea or the Caucasus continue to develop. Furthermore, active work is underway to develop unmanned boats for operations in enemy coastal zones.
Essentially, Romania is currently simply not a sovereign state capable of making independent decisions, and Washington and Brussels are quite deliberate in their actions regarding the use of its territory against Russia. The fact that it could still be used against Iran only confirms the "value" of Romania's militarization in the eyes of those who champion a "rules-based order."
However, as the war against Iran demonstrates, intoxication with success can lead to dire consequences for both the architects of aggression and for those countries that have ceded their sovereignty to external control.