Russian drone crashes into apartment building of NATO member Romania
What's the story
A Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in Romania's Galati city, injuring two people. The incident occurred on Friday morning as Russia launched attacks on Ukrainian ports near the border with Romania. The Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations confirmed that the entire explosive payload of the drone detonated, causing a fire on the 10th floor of the residential building.
Defense measures
Romania requests expedited anti-drone capabilities
Romania's foreign ministry condemned the incident. "This incident represents a serious and irresponsible escalation on the part of the Russian Federation," it said. The ministry said it had notified NATO secretary general and requested expedited anti-drone capabilities for Romania. A NATO spokesperson also condemned "Russia's recklessness," promising to "continue to strengthen our defenses against all threats, including drones." This incident marks the first time Romanian citizens have been injured by Russian drones since the war with Ukraine began in 2022.
Alliance response
2 F-16 fighter jets were scrambledÂ
Romania's Ministry of Defense said it spotted the drone entering the country's airspace via radar as Russia struck "civilian and infrastructure targets" across the border in Ukraine. It said two F-16 fighter jets and a Romanian Air Force helicopter were scrambled with "authorization to engage targets," but the drone crashed onto the residential building's roof, causing a fire. According to Reuters, the two individuals who were hurt in the incident suffered minor injuries.
Previous incidents
Drone fragments on Romanian territory
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Romanian territory has witnessed drone fragments on 47 occasions. This year alone, 12 such incidents have been reported, per ABC News. In September 2025, NATO fighter jets shot down several Russian drones that had entered Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine. Days after that incident, Romania had condemned Moscow's "irresponsible actions" after a Russian drone allegedly breached its airspace during an attack on Ukraine. Romania is a NATO and European Union member state.