NATO member Romania says Russian drone hit apartment building, injuring 2

NATO member Romania says Russian drone hit apartment building, injuring 2

Dozens of people evacuated from the scene

Romania said Friday that a drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine, the first time in the war that a drone had hit a densely populated area in the NATO and EU member and caused injuries.

The incident was likely to increase tensions on NATO's eastern flank at a time when Ukraine's allies are worried about Russia's war on its neighbour spilling over its borders.

The drone hit the roof of a 10-storey apartment block in Galati and caused an explosion, the Romanian authorities said.

"Initial information indicates that the entire load of the Geran 2 drone, of Russian origin, exploded upon impact," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The incident led to widespread condemnation across the continent.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance stands ready to defend every inch of its territory.

"Russia's reckless behaviour is a danger to us all," Rutte said ⁠in a post on X. "Last night showed ‌yet again that the implications of their illegal war of aggression ​don't stop at the border."

"We ⁠will continue to strengthen ⁠our deterrence and ⁠defence at ⁠home ​and continue our support for ​Ukraine ⁠as they defend against Russia's aggression."

Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that strengthening Ukraine's ⁠air defence was ⁠a "strategic ⁠task" ​to protect not only ​Ukraine ⁠but also to reduce risks for neighbouring countries.

"Ukraine stands firmly ⁠by Romania. We are ready to work closely ‌together to strengthen protection from such threats," Sybiha said ​on X.

Romania, which shares a 650-kilometre land border with Ukraine, has had Russian drones its airspace 28 times since Moscow began attacking Kyiv's ports across the Danube River, Romania's Defence Ministry said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu called the latest incursion a "serious violation of international law" and said that Bucharest had "requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania." She said the Russian ambassador had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry.

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said Russia had "crossed yet another line."

There was no immediate comment from Moscow

Ukrainian drones have strayed into Baltic countries' airspace in recent weeks, sowing confusion and raising tensions with Russia.

Romania says it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter to monitor the attack, adding the pilots were authorized to shoot down any drones. The residents of the border counties Braila, Galati and Tulcea were warned to take cover.

Romanian Brig.-Gen. Gheorghe Maxim told a news conference that the drone was in Romania's airspace for four minutes, flying low, making it difficult for radar to detect. He said the U.S. anti-drone system Merops was operational in Romania but would have been too risky to use in a city.

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In Friday's incident, a fire broke out in a 10th-floor apartment after the drone struck the building's roof and exploded, Romania's emergency response agency said. Two people received medical treatment on site, it said, and 70 people had evacuated.

State news agency Agerpres cited Galati's emergency response agency as saying a woman and her child had been taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat, who is in charge of the emergency response agency, told private broadcaster Digi24 the drone affected two building stairwells and damaged five cars.

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 Thursday, citing local authorities.

The authorities were investigating the origin of the drone, which the report said had a wingspan of about three metres, and how it happened to be in the area, TVR added.

Galati was last hit in April, when a drone damaged an electricity pole and a household annex, prompting evacuations. Officials retrieved that drone to detonate its unexploded payload remotely.