A Russian drone crashed into a ten-story building in Galați, Romania, during a nighttime airstrike on Ukraine on May 29, igniting a fire and injuring two people. Romanian authorities confirmed the drone’s origin and expressed serious concerns over the incident.
At a press conference on the same day, Brigadier General George Maxim, the deputy commander of the Romanian Armed Forces, explained that the military lacked sufficient time to intercept the drone, noting that only four minutes elapsed from the moment the target was detected until it struck the building.
“The first limitation we face is legal: we cannot engage targets in a way that affects the airspace of a neighboring country. While we understand that Ukraine is in a state of war, Romania is at peace, and we cannot fire a projectile that might enter Ukrainian airspace. Additionally, engaging an aerial target requires time for detection, identification, and action. The four minutes we had were extremely short,” Maxim stated.
He emphasized that deploying aircraft to intercept drones in Romanian airspace involves a strict risk management calculation, as debris from intercepted targets could cause more severe consequences than the drone itself.
“All available data has been analyzed to accurately determine the sequence of events, and it has been established that there were no real opportunities to engage (aircraft) under safe conditions. I want to clearly convey that the situation is under control. We are not facing an attack on Romania; we are dealing with the consequences of a conflict occurring close to our border, unfortunately with direct repercussions for the local population,” he added.
Maxim also pointed out that many of Romania’s air defense systems were developed before the widespread use of strike drones in modern warfare. However, he reassured that the military is continuously working on modernizing its air defense capabilities to meet new challenges.
Regarding the absence of Gepard anti-aircraft systems near the crash site, he explained that military installations cannot be deployed without appropriate permissions during peacetime.
“We must have the consent of property owners and managing entities to place such systems, which have a limited operational range of 1.5 to 6 kilometers. Private property is protected by law. Currently, we are in peacetime. Where we have received consent, we have established systems; where we have not, we have not installed them,” he said.
In conclusion, the deputy commander assured that Romanian military structures, in coordination with other government agencies, are constantly monitoring the airspace and are prepared to respond whenever necessary.
“The Ministry of National Defense is continuously working and cooperating with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Romanian intelligence, and other competent structures for rapid information exchange, risk assessment, and population protection. The Ministry maintains constant communication with NATO allies to monitor the situation on the eastern flank of the Alliance. We will transparently communicate all findings of the investigations as soon as they become available,” he concluded.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense has labeled the drone incident as a serious and irresponsible escalation by Russia. In response, President Nicușor Dan has instructed diplomats to prepare measures regarding future relations with Moscow, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador for discussions.
NATO has also reacted, with Secretary General Mark Rutte maintaining contact with Romanian authorities and condemning Russia’s actions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen remarked that the Russian war against Ukraine has “crossed another line,” expressing full solidarity with Romania and its people.
A Russian drone crash in Galați, Romania, during an airstrike on Ukraine has raised significant security concerns. Romanian officials confirmed the drone's origin and expressed their commitment to monitoring the situation closely.