Drone strike injures residents in Romania
Russian-linked drone hit apartment block near Ukraine border
A drone struck the roof of a 10‑storey apartment block in Galați, southeastern Romania, during a Russian overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine, causing an explosion, a fire and injuries to two people, authorities said. Emergency teams extinguished the blaze after the drone’s entire explosive payload detonated; about 70 residents were evacuated and the two injured received on‑site medical treatment for non‑life‑threatening wounds. Windows were shattered and debris littered surrounding streets as firefighters, police and forensic teams secured the scene and conducted inspections.
Romanian officials said preliminary assessments indicate the drone was of Russian origin and linked the incident to cross‑border operations targeting Ukrainian river ports. The defence ministry reported that drones have breached Romanian airspace dozens of times since Moscow began strikes across the Danube, and that fragments from such devices have fallen in Romania repeatedly. Authorities recovered wreckage from the latest impact and launched an investigation involving military experts and security agencies.
The strike — the first to hit a densely populated area in Romania and to cause injuries — is likely to heighten tensions on NATO’s eastern flank and revive concerns among Ukraine’s allies about the conflict spilling over into neighbouring states. Romania’s foreign ministry described the incident as a “grave and irresponsible escalation” and said it has informed NATO and requested accelerated transfers of anti‑drone capabilities to bolster air‑defence readiness along the border. Observers and officials warned the episode underscores growing regional security risks posed by long-range drones and missile activity connected to the war in Ukraine.
