Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Călin announced that the Russian ambassador has been summoned following a drone strike that hit an apartment building in the Romanian city of Galați, close to the Ukrainian border. The incident occurred during a Russian attack on Ukraine on May 29, raising significant diplomatic concerns.
Călin confirmed via social media that the drone responsible for the strike was of Russian origin, stating, “After this extremely serious incident, we will officially communicate the consequences that this lack of accountability from the Russian Federation will have for diplomatic relations between our countries, as well as the next steps at the European level regarding sanction packages.”
In response to the event, Romania’s President convened a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack, labeling it a “serious and irresponsible escalation by the Russian Federation.” They have informed NATO allies and the Secretary-General about the situation and requested expedited assistance for drone defense capabilities.
The Ministry also emphasized that Romania will act with maximum firmness to increase international pressure on Russia for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. NATO has condemned Russia’s actions, with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg maintaining communication with Romanian authorities.
Early on May 29, Romania’s Ministry of Defense reported that a Russian drone had entered Romanian airspace and crashed into an apartment building in Galați, igniting a fire on the roof. Local officials reported at least two injuries resulting from the incident.
The Ministry of Defense stated, “On the night of May 28-29, the Russian Federation resumed drone attacks on civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine near the river border with Romania. The drone entered Romanian airspace, tracked by radar in the southern part of Galați municipality, and fell onto the roof of an apartment building, causing a fire.”
Images have confirmed the geolocation of the strike in a residential area of southern Galați, located over 11 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. In response to the attack, Romania deployed two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter for surveillance, with pilots authorized to intercept drones.
As of now, Russian representatives have not commented on the incident. Romania shares a land border with Ukraine that stretches over 600 kilometers. Since the onset of Russian attacks on southern Ukrainian ports, Romanian authorities have reported multiple instances of Russian drones entering their airspace. However, this marks the first occasion a drone has struck a building in Romania, resulting in injuries.
This incident underscores growing security concerns in Europe and fears that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could spill over into EU territory.
A Russian drone strike on an apartment building in Galați, Romania, has prompted the Romanian government to summon the Russian ambassador and escalate diplomatic actions. The incident, which resulted in injuries, marks a significant escalation in regional security concerns amid ongoing tensions in the Ukraine conflict.