Romanian authorities say a Russian drone struck an apartment block in the eastern town of Galati, causing a fire, injuring two residents and prompting strong reactions from both NATO and the European Union.
The incident occurred near Romania’s border with Ukraine and Moldova, marking the first time civilians in the NATO member state have reportedly been injured by a Russian drone since the war in Ukraine began.
According to Romania’s emergency situations authority, the drone’s entire explosive payload detonated after impact, sparking a fire on the tenth floor of the building. Around 70 residents were evacuated while emergency teams worked to extinguish the blaze.
The two injured individuals received medical treatment for abrasions sustained during the incident.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the event as another escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine, while NATO officials condemned what they called Russia’s recklessness.
Although Russian drones have crossed into Romanian territory on several occasions during the conflict, authorities said this was the first incident in which people were hurt. Russia had not commented on the matter at the time of reporting.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan called an emergency meeting of the country’s Supreme Defence Council, describing the strike as the most serious incident affecting Romanian territory since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were deployed after the drones were detected. Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim said Romanian forces had only four minutes between detecting the drone and the moment it struck the building.
He explained that Romania faced operational limitations because it could not launch munitions into Ukrainian airspace, stressing that while Ukraine remained at war, Romania was not.
Romanian military officials sought to reassure residents that the incident was not a direct attack on Romania but rather a consequence of the conflict taking place near the country’s borders.
In a statement, Romania’s foreign ministry described the incident as a serious and irresponsible escalation by the Russian Federation. It added that Romanian authorities had informed NATO leadership and requested faster deployment of anti-drone capabilities to the country.
Officials said the drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar to the southern part of Galati and eventually crashed onto the roof of the apartment building.
The Danube River, which runs close to Galati, forms part of Romania’s border with Ukraine. Ukrainian port facilities in the area have frequently been targeted during Russian attacks.
In April, another Russian drone reportedly caused property damage in Galati, although no injuries were recorded.
Romania’s defence ministry said fragments of Russian drones have been discovered on Romanian territory on 47 occasions since the war began in 2022, including 12 incidents this year.
The latest development came as Ukrainian authorities issued a nationwide air raid alert overnight. Officials in the southern Odesa region said the port city of Izmail was targeted in a drone attack early Friday.
Meanwhile, authorities in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region reported that three utility workers were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on Thursday. A fourth person was seriously injured, according to local officials.
Ojo Triumph
