A Russian drone struck a 10-story apartment building in the southeastern city of Galați overnight, injuring two people and triggering an explosion. This marks the first time since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine that a drone has hit a densely populated area in Romania and caused civilian casualties.
The incident inside Romania—a NATO and European Union member—is expected to significantly heighten tensions on the military alliance's eastern flank amid growing fears that Russia's war on Ukraine could spill over its borders.
According to Romania's emergency response agency, the drone's entire explosive payload detonated upon striking the roof, sparking a fire in a 10th-floor apartment. Emergency crews evacuated 70 residents from the building. State news agency Agerpres reported that a woman and her child were hospitalized with minor injuries, while two other residents were treated on-site for panic attacks.
Romania shares a 650-kilometer (400-mile) land border with Ukraine. The Romanian Defence Ministry revealed that Russian drones have breached the country's airspace 28 times since Moscow began targeted campaigns against Ukrainian grain ports across the Danube River. Furthermore, military authorities have recovered drone fragments on Romanian soil 47 times.
"Romania will take the necessary diplomatic measures in response to this serious violation of international law and its airspace," Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu stated on X. "We have informed our Allies and the NATO Secretary General of the circumstances and have requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania."
The Defence Ministry confirmed it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter to monitor the overnight attack, noting that pilots held authorization to shoot down incoming threats. Air raid alerts were issued warning residents in the border counties of Brăila, Galați, and Tulcea to take cover.
However, military radar units lost contact with the drone just as it entered Galați because it was flying extremely low to the ground to evade detection.
Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat told private broadcaster Digi24 that the explosion affected two building stairwells and damaged five vehicles parked below. While Romanian law permits the military to shoot down hostile drones during peacetime if lives or property are at risk, forces have yet to successfully intercept one in flight.
The cross-border strike coincided with a massive Russian drone swarm targeting the Izmail port in Ukraine's Odesa region early Friday. Located directly across the Danube River from the Romanian border, Izmail is home to Ukraine's largest river port and remains a frequent strategic target for Russian forces trying to choke off agricultural exports.
In a separate and unexplained incident, local authorities reported finding a second, non-explosive drone with a three-meter (10-foot) wingspan on Thursday night near Băsești in Maramureș county, located in northwestern Romania. An active investigation is underway to determine its origin.
