A Russian drone crashed into a residential apartment block in the eastern city of Galați during a large-scale overnight attack on neighboring Ukraine, Romania has confirmed.
In a statement released Friday morning, Romania’s Ministry of Defence said Russian forces resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine near the Romanian border overnight between May 28 and 29.
According to the ministry, one drone entered Romanian airspace before crashing into the roof of an apartment building in Galați, with the impact triggering a fire.
“One of these drones entered Romanian airspace, being tracked by radar to the southern area of the city of Galați, and crashed onto the roof of a block of flats, the impact being followed by a fire,” the ministry said.
Romania confirms Russian drone crash
Authorities said specialized teams from emergency services, police, intelligence agencies and military structures were immediately deployed to the scene.
The ministry added that military radar systems had detected several drones operating near Romanian airspace during the attack, prompting the scramble of two Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jets from the 86th Air Base in Fetești at approximately 1:19 a.m.
The fighter aircraft were supported by an IAR 330 SOCAT military helicopter, with pilots reportedly granted authorization to engage aerial targets throughout the alert period if necessary.
Romanian officials also activated the national RO-Alert emergency system for the counties of Tulcea, Galați and Brăila, warning residents of the potential threat.
Authorities described the situation as “dynamic” as investigations and security operations continued.
Local emergency officials said at least two civilians were injured in the incident, including a woman who reportedly suffered first-degree burns and a 14-year-old boy who experienced a severe panic attack during the explosion and evacuation.
Romanian media reported that approximately 70 residents were evacuated from the apartment building following the impact.
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Police, firefighters, ambulance services and explosives experts were dispatched to secure the area and assess whether unexploded materials remained at the site.
According to investigators cited by local reports, the drone’s explosive payload appears to have fully detonated upon impact, reducing the risk of secondary explosions.
Romania, a NATO member since 2004, has repeatedly faced security incidents linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine, particularly along the Danube region near Ukrainian port infrastructure frequently targeted by Moscow.
Thursday’s incident came just hours after another drone reportedly crashed in the Romanian locality of Băsești in Maramureș County, though authorities were still investigating the drone’s origin.
The developments follow regional drone incidents across Eastern Europe and the Baltic region as Russia intensifies long-range aerial attacks against Ukraine.
NATO scrambles jets
Earlier this month, Lithuania activated NATO air policing protocols and urged civilians to seek shelter after a drone entered its airspace.
Estonia has also previously claimed Romanian fighter jets shot down a drone over its territory that was believed to have been diverted off course during operations linked to the Ukraine conflict.
Meanwhile, Latvia reported that two Ukrainian drones struck an oil storage facility after allegedly being diverted by Russian electronic warfare interference.
European leaders have increasingly accused Moscow of deliberately destabilizing NATO’s eastern flank through repeated airspace violations and hybrid pressure tactics.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month warned that the incidents reflected “a deliberate strategy from Russia trying to destabilize our democratic societies.”
“When Baltic states are being tested, Europe as a whole is being tested,” she said during a regional security briefing.
The Romanian drone strike also comes amid an intensified wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine itself.
Last week, Kyiv endured one of the heaviest aerial bombardments in recent months as Russian missiles and drones targeted more than 40 sites across the Ukrainian capital overnight.
Ukrainian officials said at least four people were killed and dozens more injured in that assault, with residential buildings, schools, warehouses and commercial facilities damaged across multiple districts.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attack as a “terrible night” for the capital as rescue teams continued pulling survivors from damaged structures.
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