Russian drone strike injures two in Romania

A Russian drone strike on a residential apartment block in Romania has injured two people and sparked fresh concerns among NATO allies over the growing spillover risks from the war in Ukraine.

The incident occurred on Friday in the eastern Romanian city of Galați, near the country’s border with Ukraine, after a drone carrying explosives crashed into a 10-storey residential building and triggered a fire.

Romanian emergency authorities said the drone’s entire explosive payload detonated on impact, causing significant damage to the building and forcing the evacuation of about 70 residents.

Two people sustained minor injuries and were transported to the Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital for treatment.

Romanian officials identified the drone as a Russian-made Geran-2, also known as the Shahed-136. The country’s Defence Ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drone was detected approaching Romanian airspace.

Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim disclosed that the military had only four minutes from detection to impact, limiting response options.

“Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch a projectile into Ukrainian airspace,” Gen. Maxim explained, noting that Romanian forces operated under strict NATO rules of engagement.

The Romanian government described the incident as the most serious breach affecting its territory since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan convened an emergency meeting of the country’s Supreme Defence Council and announced plans to expel Russia’s consul in the Black Sea city of Constanța.

Romania’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the Russian ambassador in protest over the strike and called for accelerated deployment of anti-drone defence systems from NATO allies.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the incident, describing Russia’s actions as reckless and dangerous.

“We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones,” Rutte said after speaking with President Dan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the strike, saying Russia’s war against Ukraine had “crossed yet another line.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the incident demonstrated that Russian aggression poses a direct threat to the wider Black Sea region and Europe as a whole.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the drone strike as a “serious violation” of NATO airspace and reaffirmed Britain’s support for Romania and Ukraine.

Romania’s Defence Ministry says fragments of Russian drones have landed on Romanian territory on at least 47 occasions since the war began, with 12 incidents recorded this year alone.

The latest strike has renewed fears among NATO members bordering Ukraine that Russia’s war could increasingly spill beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Source: BBC