Two Injured in Russian Drone Attack on Residential Building in Romania

For the first time since the war in Ukraine began, two people have been injured by a Russian drone crash in Romania. The Romanian government strongly condemned the incident as a “serious and irresponsible provocation” by Russia and called for the urgent installation of anti-drone defense systems. Throughout the ongoing four-year conflict, fragments of Russian drones have been found on Romanian soil 47 times to date.

In a NATO member country bordering Ukraine, a Russian drone crashed onto the roof of a 10-story residential building in the eastern city of Galați, injuring two civilians. According to Romania’s Ministry of Defense, the drone was part of a Russian airstrike near the Ukrainian border. The Romanian emergency services reported that the drone’s explosives detonated on the building’s roof, igniting a major fire on the 10th floor.

Following the fire, approximately 70 residents were evacuated to safety. The two individuals who sustained minor injuries received medical care. This marks the first incident of Romanian civilians being hurt amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The Ministry of Defense noted that 47 cases of Russian drone debris have been discovered on Romanian territory, including 12 occurrences in the current year alone.

Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the incident as a “serious and irresponsible provocation” by Russia. The Romanian government informed NATO’s Secretary General and demanded the swift deployment of anti-drone security systems within its borders. In response, a NATO spokesperson condemned Russia’s actions via the social media platform X, affirming NATO’s commitment to protecting its member states. When the Russian drone entered Romanian airspace, the country placed two of its F-16 fighter jets on alert. Russia has yet to issue an official comment regarding the incident.