Nato condemns Russian 'recklessness' after drone hits Romanian residential block
A Russian drone has hit a block of flats in Romania, causing a fire and injuring two people, Romanian officials say.
The incident happened on Friday in the eastern town of Galați - near Romania's border with Ukraine.
Nato and EU allies of Romania have rallied to the support of the fellow member. Nato's secretary general said "Russia's reckless behaviour is a danger to us all", while the head of the European Commission said Moscow's "war of aggression had crossed yet another line".
Russian drones have strayed across Romania's border a number of times during the four-year war with Ukraine, but it is the first time Romanian citizens have been hurt. Russia has yet to comment on the incident.
Romania's emergency situations authority said the drone's entire explosive payload detonated and caused a fire on the 10th floor of the residential building.
Two people with abrasions required medical treatment and were taken to the Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital. About 70 peoplewere evacuated as the fire was put out.
Romania's defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drones were detected. Brig Gen Gheorghe Maxim said the army had only had four minutes from when the drone was detected to the moment of impact.
The ministry added in a later update that it appeared the "entire load" of the Geran 2 drone - also known as a Shahed 136 - had exploded on impact.
EU says Russia has crossed 'another line' after drone hits Romanian apartment block
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Gen Maxim said Romanian forces were under significant constraints, as they could not fire munitions that violated Ukrainian airspace. "Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch a projectile into Ukrainian airspace," he said.
Romania's military has sought to reassure the public that it was not an attack on the country but rather "a conflict at our border, with consequences for the local population".
The foreign ministry in Bucharest summoned the Russian ambassador in response to the drone strike.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan said his administration would expel the Russian consul in the Black Sea port of Constanța and shut down the consulate. Russia's defence ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow "won't take long" to respond.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the incident, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
President Dan also convened an emergency meeting of Romania's Supreme Defence Council, describing the Russian drone strike as "the most serious incident to have affected Romanian territory since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine".
The country's foreign ministry said Bucharest had "requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania" from Nato.
The alliance's secretary general, Mark Rutte, said he had spoken to President Dan and told him the alliance "stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory".
"We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones," Rutte added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line".
"As we continue strengthening our security and deterrence, especially on our Eastern border, we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia," she added.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the incident "proved once again that Russian aggression poses a real threat to the Black Sea region and the entire Europe".
He urged other countries to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia "to restore peace and security in the region".
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the drone hit was a "serious violation" of Nato airspace, and added that the UK stood "shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, with Romania, and with all our Nato allies in the face of continued Russian aggression".
Other European politicians have also condemned the incident, including the French and foreign minister, the US Ambassador to Nato and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and several Nato countries have witnessed drone incursions in that time.
Poland blamed Russia for a drone strike on a field in the village of Osiny 130km (80 miles) south-east of Warsaw last August, and then shot down two suspected Russian drones over its territory the following month.
At the time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had involved Article 4 of the Nato Treaty, which requires members of the alliance to hold urgentconsultations.
