NATO standards in Romanian: officially in a maternity leave, in reality mercenaries of a pro-Russian commander in DR Congo
4 April 13:43
Hundreds of Romanian soldiers, while in reserve or even on parental leave, secretly worked as mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After an investigation, the Romanian Ministry of Defense was forced to admit this fact, Komersant ukrainskyi reports, citing Euractiv.
On maternity leave in the DR Congo
The Romanian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that 466 soldiers transferred to the reserve due to reaching the age limit, voluntarily or for medical reasons, were engaged in military activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In addition, 7 active military personnel were identified who went to work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2023 to 2025 while on official leave to care for children under the age of two.
The investigation revealed that these servicemen violated numerous legal and regulatory provisions, including leaving the country without authorization and engaging in activities outside of their official military duties.
The case of one serviceman has already been referred to the military prosecutor’s office, and similar legal action will be taken against the remaining six. In the meantime, disciplinary and administrative procedures have been initiated pending the prosecutor’s decision on possible criminal charges.
Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко
A Russian trace?
An interesting detail: 466 reservists and 7 active military personnel took part in the fighting under the command of the scandalous mercenary Horaciu Potra, known for his ties to the pro-Russian presidential candidate, Kelin Georgescu.
Of the seven soldiers, three are still on parental leave and four have returned to their units. Another 24 reservists who worked for private security companies in Congo were returned to military service in 2023-2024 and are now assigned to various units of the Ministry of Defense.
The participation of soldiers in dubious African projects led by a pro-Russian mercenary does not scare the NATO army. The Romanian Ministry of Defense claims that their reintegration does not pose “significant risks to national security” because they hold lower-ranking positions with minimal access to classified information.
Nevertheless, additional monitoring and verification measures have been implemented on a case-by-case basis, with further actions to be taken as necessary.
Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilver said he had ordered
“to urgently review the circumstances and responsibilities that allowed these situations to occur, as well as to implement stricter preventive measures in the future.”
The Romanian Army is a NATO Army
Romania’s armed forces are among the largest in Southeast Europe and have played an important role in NATO’s structure since the country joined the Alliance in 2004. The Romanian army has about 85,000 active military personnel and approximately 50,000 reservists. Since joining NATO, Romania has embarked on a large-scale program to modernize its armed forces, moving from Soviet weapons to modern Western standards.
The Romanian military has participated in numerous international operations, including missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Balkans. In recent years, Romania has significantly increased its defense spending, reaching the NATO-recommended 2% of GDP, which has allowed the country to invest in new weapons systems and military equipment. Romania’s geographical location on NATO’s eastern flank makes it an important strategic partner of the Alliance, especially in the context of strengthening NATO’s presence in the Black Sea region and countering security threats in Eastern Europe.
