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Russian drone hits Romanian residential building
A Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in eastern Romania on Friday, sparking a blaze and wounding two residents, authorities confirmed. The incident occurred in the town of Galați, near the Ukrainian border.
Emergency response and casualties
Romania's emergency services reported that the drone's explosive payload detonated upon impact, igniting a fire on the building's 10th floor. Two individuals suffered minor abrasions and were treated at Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital. Approximately 70 residents were evacuated as firefighters extinguished the flames.
Military reaction and constraints
The Romanian defense ministry scrambled two F-16 fighter jets after detecting the drone, though Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim stated forces had only four minutes to respond before impact. Officials identified the drone as a Geran-2 (Shahed 136), noting its entire payload exploded.
Maxim emphasized operational limitations, stating Romanian forces could not fire into Ukrainian airspace. "Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch projectiles into their territory," he said.
Diplomatic fallout and NATO support
Romania's foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador, while President Nicușor Dan convened an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, calling the strike the "most serious incident" on Romanian soil since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Russia's reckless behavior is a danger to us all,"
NATO Secretary General
NATO pledged to defend Allied territory, with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg affirming the alliance's readiness to counter drone threats. The European Commission condemned the attack, with President Ursula von der Leyen stating Russia's war had "crossed yet another line."
Regional tensions escalate
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha warned the incident demonstrated Russia's aggression threatened the Black Sea region and Europe. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the strike a "serious violation" of NATO airspace, reaffirming support for Romania and Ukraine.
Romania has recorded 47 instances of drone debris on its territory since 2022, including 12 this year. NATO allies have struggled to defend the Danube border area, where drones frequently target Ukrainian ports like Reni and Izmail.
Broader implications
NATO's Stoltenberg noted the attack underscored how Russia's war "doesn't stop at the border." Recent months have also seen Ukrainian drones veer off course into Baltic states due to Russian jamming, according to Kyiv.
