NATO member Romania stated on Friday (29th) that a drone hit a residential building in a southeastern city, causing two injuries, during Russia’s overnight attacks on neighboring Ukraine. This marks the first time a drone has hit a densely populated area in Romania and resulted in casualties since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
As Ukraine’s allies express concerns that Russia’s war on neighboring countries could spill over to their borders, the incident in Romania is heightening tension on NATO’s eastern flank.
A NATO spokesperson posted on the X platform: “We condemn Russia’s reckless actions, and NATO will continue to strengthen defense measures to address all threats, including drones.”
Emergency response agencies in Romania stated that the Russian drone struck the roof of a 10-story residential building in Galati, resulting in an explosion and fire. Two individuals were injured, receiving medical treatment, and 70 people were evacuated.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced in a statement: “Preliminary information indicates that the entire payload of the Russian-made ‘Geran 2’ drone exploded upon impact with the building.”
Since Moscow began attacking the Kyiv port across the Danube River, its drones have violated Romania’s airspace 28 times, bordering Ukraine with a 650 km (about 400 miles) land boundary.
Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Oana Toiu condemned the incident as a “serious violation of international law” and stated that the ministry has summoned the Russian ambassador.
She said that Bucharest has “requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania.”
Romania is also a member of the European Union. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the drone attack and stated that Russia has “once again crossed a line.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on the incident.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense stated that two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter have been dispatched to monitor the attack, with pilots authorized to shoot down any drones. Residents of the border counties of Braila, Galati, and Tulcea have received air raid alerts.
Romanian Lieutenant General Gheorghe Maxim stated at a press conference that the Russian drone that invaded on Friday stayed in Romanian airspace for four minutes at an extremely low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar.
He pointed out that although Romania has deployed the American “Merops” anti-drone system, using it in urban areas poses high risks.
Romanian Deputy Minister of the Interior Raed Arafat told private TV channel Digi24 that the drone also hit a stairwell between two buildings and damaged five cars.
According to Romania’s national television station TVR, on the evening of the 28th, an unmanned drone without explosives was found near Basesti in Maramures County in northwest Romania. Authorities have sealed off the area.
TVR reported that officials are investigating where the approximately 3-meter (10-foot) wingspan drone came from and why it appeared in the area.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government reported that Izmail Port in the Odessa region was attacked by several drones on the morning of the 29th.
Izmail, adjacent to the Romanian border, is the largest Ukrainian port on the Danube River and a strategic target frequently attacked by Russian forces.
In April of this year, Galati city was attacked by a drone, causing damage to a utility pole and a residential building, prompting residents to evacuate. Authorities subsequently seized the drone and remotely detonated its payload.