BRUSSELS/BUCHAREST: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Friday pledged “absolute solidarity” with Romania after a Russian drone crashed into a residential building near the Ukraine border, injuring two people and escalating tensions along NATO’s eastern flank.
Romania, a NATO and European Union member, said a drone struck the roof of a 10-storey apartment block in Galați during an overnight Russian attack on Ukraine, marking the first time a drone hit a densely populated area in the country and caused injuries.
The incident has raised concern among Ukraine’s allies about the spillover of Russia’s war beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Rutte said he assured Romanian President Nicușor Dan that NATO “stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory,” while also condemning Russia’s actions as dangerous.
A NATO spokesperson also described the strike as reckless and said the alliance would continue strengthening defenses against drone threats.
Romania’s defence ministry said “initial information indicates that the entire load of the Geran-2 drone, of Russian origin, exploded upon impact.”
Officials added that Romania has recorded 28 incidents of Russian drones breaching its airspace since the war began, mostly linked to strikes on Ukrainian ports across the Danube River.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu called the strike a “serious violation of international law” and said Russia’s ambassador had been summoned, while also urging faster delivery of anti-drone systems.
The European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen said Russia had “crossed yet another line,” though Moscow did not immediately respond.
Romanian authorities scrambled F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter during the incident, with pilots authorised to engage drones if necessary. Officials said the drone remained in Romanian airspace for around four minutes, making detection difficult due to its low flight path.
Emergency services reported a fire in a 10th-floor apartment after the impact, with residents evacuating the building. Two people received treatment, including a woman and a child who were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
In a separate incident, another drone without an explosive payload was discovered in northern Romania, prompting an investigation into its origin.
Ukrainian officials also reported continued drone attacks on the nearby Izmail port in the Odesa region, a key Danube River logistics hub frequently targeted during the conflict.
