Romania Says Russian Drone Hit Apartment Building, Injuring 2

A Russian drone injured two people in southeastern Romania, the government of the European Union and NATO member state said on May 29.

The incident, which occurred during one of Moscow’s overnight aerial attacks on Ukraine, marked the first time during the more than four-year-long war that a drone had hit a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.

“During the night of May 28 to 29, the Russian Federation resumed drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, in the vicinity of the river border with Romania,” the Romanian Ministry of Defense said.

“A drone entered Romanian airspace, being tracked by radar to the southern area of ​​the city of Galati, and crashed onto the roof of a block of flats, the impact being followed by a fire.”

The ministry added that specialized teams from various authorities were operating at the site, and two F-16 jets were scrambled and authorized to engage targets, while the alert was active.

“The National Military Command Center (core) informed the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations about the need to institute measures to alert the population. In this context, RO-Alert messages were sent for Tulcea, Galati, and Braila counties,” the ministry said.

The head of Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations, Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat, said that two people suffered “minor injuries” and were “assisted on the spot,” according to a local Romanian outlet.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toui confirmed the drone in question was Russian in a May 29 post on X.

“We have summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” she said. “Romania’s security is our absolute priority.”

In a separate incident, a drone without an explosive charge was found around Basesti in Maramures county in northwestern Romania, and the area was secured, state TVR broadcaster said late on May 28, citing local authorities.

Romania, which shares a 400-mile land border with Ukraine, has experienced Russian drones breaching its airspace 28 times since Moscow began attacking Kyiv’s ports across the Danube River, Reuters reports, citing Romania’s defense ministry.

In response to the incident, Romanian President Nicusor Dan announced he had convened a meeting of the Supreme National Defense Council on May 29, describing the drone incursion as “the most serious incident that has affected the national territory since the beginning of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

“I firmly state that the full responsibility for this incident lies with the Russian Federation,” he said, adding that it was a “direct consequence of the war of aggression unleashed by Russia against Ukraine, of the irresponsible and indiscriminate manner in which Moscow operates these weapons systems in the immediate vicinity of NATO borders, as well as of its systematic disregard for international law.”

Dan said that he would be informing NATO allies, requesting additional anti-drone capabilities, and referring the incident to the U.N. Security Council in response.

International Condemnation

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he had spoken to Dan about the drone incursion on May 29.

“I assured him of NATO’s absolute solidarity with Romania and expressed sympathy for those injured in the incident. I affirmed that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory,” Rutte wrote in a post on X.

“We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones. Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia had “crossed yet another line.”

“We stand in full solidarity with Romania and its people,” she wrote in a May 29 post on X.

“As we continue strengthening our security and deterrence, especially on our Eastern border, we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia. We are preparing a 21st package of sanctions.”

Von der Leyen’s sentiments were echoed by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, meanwhile, called for immediate dialogue between the EU and Russia.

“A few days ago, I said that in the absence of dialogue between the EU and Russia, any stray drone could lead to an escalation of tensions that we would be unable to manage,” the leader of the EU and NATO member state wrote in a May 29 post on X.

“In connection with the drone incident, I express my full solidarity with the Romanian government, call for restraint in making inflammatory statements, and once again urge the immediate opening of dialogue between the European Union and the Russian Federation.”

Slovakia has maintained closer ties with Russia than the rest of the EU.

Russia has not yet commented on the incident.

The incident comes at a time of heightened concern about Russian incursions on NATO’s eastern flank, with numerous member states in the region calling for increased defenses.

Reuters contributed to this report.