IRIA News

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A Russian drone struck a residential apartment building in the Romanian city of Galati near the Ukrainian border, injuring two people and triggering strong reactions from NATO and European leaders.

Romanian authorities said the incident occurred during an overnight Russian drone attack on neighboring Ukraine. The drone hit the 10th floor of a residential building, causing a fire after its explosive payload detonated on impact. Around 70 residents were evacuated while emergency crews brought the blaze under control.

Two people suffered minor injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Romanian President Nicusor Dan described the incident as the most serious event to affect Romanian territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

According to Dan, the drone was likely struck by Ukrainian air defenses while flying over Ukrainian territory near the city of Reni, causing it to change course before crashing into the Romanian apartment block.

“There was a group of 43 drones coming from the east. Some were shot down over Ukraine, and one was hit above the city of Reni, which altered its trajectory,” Dan said.

Romania’s Defense Ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drones were detected. Military officials noted they had only four minutes between detection and impact.

Brig. Gen. Gheorghe Maxim said Romanian forces faced operational limitations because they could not engage targets inside Ukrainian airspace. “Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch a projectile into Ukrainian airspace,” he said.

Following the incident, Romania requested accelerated delivery of anti-drone capabilities from NATO. President Dan convened an emergency meeting of Romania’s Supreme Defense Council and announced plans to expel Russia’s consul in the Black Sea port city of Constanța and close the consulate. Moscow later said it would respond.

Romania’s military emphasized that the incident was not a direct attack on the country but a consequence of the war taking place along its border with Ukraine.

The Defense Ministry said fragments of Russian drones have been found in Romania on 47 occasions since the start of the war, including 12 incidents this year. However, Friday’s strike was the first to cause injuries inside Romania.

NATO and EU Condemn Incident

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance stands ready to defend all member states. “NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory,” Rutte said, adding that Russia’s actions continue to threaten security beyond Ukraine’s borders.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the incident showed that “Russia’s war of aggression has crossed yet another line.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the strike demonstrated that Russian aggression remains “a real threat” to the Black Sea region and wider Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with President Dan and pledged continued cooperation to protect civilians from future threats.

Several Western leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and other European officials, condemned the incident and expressed support for Romania.

Putin Questions Drone’s Origin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had only recently learned of the incident and questioned whether the drone was Russian. He suggested the wreckage should be handed over to Moscow for what he called an “objective investigation.”

The strike comes as Russia continues large-scale drone attacks against Ukrainian targets near the Danube River, including the ports of Reni and Izmail, located close to the Romanian border.

The latest incident has increased pressure on NATO to strengthen air defense capabilities along its eastern flank as the war’s impact continues to spill beyond Ukraine’s borders.