Russian Drone Crashes in Romania, NATO Reacts Strongly

Romania and its NATO allies reacted with anger after a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the country’s east, wounding two people.

Romania’s Foreign Ministry on Friday called the incident a serious violation of international law and urged NATO to accelerate the delivery of counter-drone systems. It was the latest in a series of incursions along the alliance’s eastern flank, fueling concern about a potential open confrontation between Russia and NATO.

Romanian officials said the drone was tracked by radar over the country’s airspace before it crashed onto the roof of a residential building in the city of Galati. Two F-16 fighter jets and a helicopter were scrambled, while authorities sent emergency alerts to residents. Two people suffered minor injuries and some residents were evacuated after the crash sparked a fire.

Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland have all reported repeated airspace violations in recent months. Previous drone incursions led to the collapse of the government in Latvia earlier this month.

Romania’s government called on NATO to accelerate the delivery of counter-drone systems. Outgoing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said Romania would sign a contract to buy counter-drone systems under the EU’s SAFE program within hours.

Romania also summoned the Russian ambassador for consultations. Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on social media: “We will officially inform the Russian Federation of the consequences that its irresponsibility will have on diplomatic relations between our two countries, as well as the next steps at the European level regarding sanctions packages.”

Romanian President Nicusor Dan declared that he would not accept the spillover of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine onto his country’s citizens, and ordered the Foreign Ministry to immediately present measures for relations with Russia commensurate with the seriousness of the situation.

NATO allies also spoke out. French European Minister Benjamin Haddad stressed that the incident showed the threat Russia poses to European security. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Reuters: “Whether intentional or through incompetence, Russia is dangerous and we must defend ourselves.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the incident showed that “Russia’s war of aggression has crossed another line.” A NATO spokesperson also condemned what it called “Russia’s recklessness” on social media.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that escalating attacks risked spiraling out of control, with unpredictable consequences. He said the number of civilians killed in the first four months of this year was higher than in the same period three years ago, and called for diplomacy and an unconditional ceasefire.

The Ukrainian military said it shot down 217 drones on Friday night. Russia attacked with 232 drones and a ballistic missile. Moscow said it would carry out systematic attacks on Kiev and listed European facilities producing drones for Ukraine.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service recently warned the Baltic states that NATO membership would not protect them from retaliation if they allowed Ukraine to launch attacks from their territory. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that the U.S. might not respect NATO’s collective defense clause in some cases.

However, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted the alliance would defend all its territory. “Russia’s reckless behavior is a danger to all of us,” he wrote on social media, pledging to strengthen deterrence and support for Ukraine.