The Romanian Ministry of Defense reported that a Russian drone entered Romanian airspace overnight and crashed into a residential building in Galați, near the Ukrainian border, resulting in a fire. Local authorities confirmed that at least two individuals sustained injuries in the incident.
According to the Ministry’s statement, “On the night of May 28 to 29, the Russian Federation resumed drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, close to the river border with Romania. The drone was tracked by radar in the southern part of Galați municipality before crashing onto the roof of an apartment building, igniting a fire.”
Emergency services indicated that two people required medical assistance and that the fire was extinguished. Approximately 70 residents were evacuated from the affected building.
In response to the incident, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter were deployed for surveillance during the Russian attacks on Ukraine, with pilots authorized to engage drones if necessary.
Romania, a NATO and European Union member, shares a land border with Ukraine that extends over 600 kilometers. Since the onset of Russian strikes on southern Ukrainian ports, Romanian authorities have frequently reported incursions of Russian drones into their airspace. However, this marks the first instance of a drone crashing into a building in Romania, resulting in injuries.
This incident raises concerns regarding security in Europe and the potential for the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to spill over into EU territory.
A Russian drone crashed into a residential building in Romania, injuring at least two people and prompting an evacuation. The incident highlights ongoing security concerns in the region.