Russian Drone Hits Galați Apartment Building, Injuring Two, NATO and EU Condemn

A Russian drone hit a block of flats in the eastern Romanian town of Galați on Friday, causing a fire and injuring two people, Romanian officials said.

Romania’s emergency situations authority said the drone’s entire explosive payload detonated and caused a fire on the 10th floor, and about 70 people were evacuated as the fire was put out.

ABC News

NATO and the EU condemned the incident, while Ukraine said it proved again that Russia posed "a real threat" to Europe.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the drone was likely hit by Ukrainian air defences over Kyiv’s territory, altering its trajectory, and he later convened an emergency meeting of Romania’s Supreme Defence Council.

Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drones were detected, and Brig Gen Gheorghe Maxim said the army had only four minutes from detection to impact.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he had spoken to President Dan and told him the alliance "stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory," adding that NATO would continue to enhance readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones.

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line" as she said the EU would keep increasing pressure on Russia.

Al Jazeera

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Oana-Silvia Toiu said she had "confirmation from the Ministry of National Defence that the drone which crashed into a residential building in Galati was of Russian origin."

In contrast, President Putin later questioned whether the drone was Russian, with the BBC reporting that he said he had only just heard of the incident and suggested the drone wreckage should be handed over to Russia for an "objective investigation."

Romania’s foreign ministry said Bucharest had requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania from Nato, and the incident was described by Dan as "the most serious incident to have affected Romanian territory" since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Dan declared a Russian consul in the Black Sea port of Constanța "a persona non grata" and said the consulate "will close," while Moscow said it "won't take long" to respond.

CNN reported that Bucharest was urging its allies to help with its anti-drone defenses, and NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe spokesperson Col. Martin O’Donnell confirmed to CNN that the drone was Russian.

NPR said Gen. Gheorghe Maxim told reporters the incident "is not an attack from Russia against Romania," but also said Romania asked the alliance for a faster transfer of anti-drone capabilities and called the drone’s flight a serious violation of international law.

NBC News reported that NATO flew an Airborne Early Warning E-3A aircraft to increase air-domain awareness after the Russian incursion, and it quoted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte saying "Russia’s reckless behavior is a danger to us all."