A Russian drone hit an apartment building in the Romanian town of Galati, near the border with Ukraine and Moldova. The strike caused a fire and injured two people, officials said.
The explosion damaged the 10th floor of the building after the drone’s payload detonated on impact. Around 70 residents were quickly evacuated while fire-fighters controlled the blaze. The injured people had minor wounds and received medical treatment.
The incident caused strong reactions from European leaders. Ursula von der Leyen said Russia’s “war of aggression had crossed yet another line.”
NATO also strongly criticized the attack and called it “Russia’s recklessness.” Leaders described the event as a serious escalation linked to the war in Ukraine.
Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were deployed after drones were detected near Romanian airspace. Officials added that the military had only a few minutes between detection and impact, which made interception very difficult. A drone entered Romanian airspace, moved toward Galati, and then crashed into the apartment block.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan called an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. He said this was the most serious incident on Romanian territory since the war in Ukraine began. Romania also informed NATO and requested faster delivery of anti-drone defence systems to improve protection.
Officials stressed that Romania is not at war, but it is affected by the conflict across the border. The River Danube, which separates Romania and Ukraine, has seen repeated drone activity since the war started in 2022.
Defence officials also said drone fragments have been found inside Romania many times since the war began, including several cases this year. Earlier incidents caused damage but no injuries, but this is the first time civilians have been hurt.
Meanwhile, Ukraine reported new drone attacks on its port city of Izmail, while Russian controlled areas in eastern Ukraine also reported casualties from drone strikes. The war, which began after Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continues to impact both Ukraine and nearby countries.
