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Russian Drone Slams Into Romanian Apartment Building Near Ukraine Borde
A Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in Romania early Friday, injuring two people and triggering fresh concerns over the spillover risks of the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine.
Romanian authorities confirmed that the drone struck a residential building in the eastern city of Galati, close to the Ukrainian border, during a wave of Russian attacks targeting Ukrainian territory near the Danube region.
According to Romania’s Ministry of Defence, the drone entered Romanian airspace before crashing onto the roof of a high-rise apartment complex, causing a fire that spread through part of the building.
Emergency responders said the drone’s explosive payload fully detonated on impact, igniting a blaze on the 10th floor of the residential structure.
The Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations disclosed that two residents sustained injuries and received medical treatment for abrasions, while about 70 people were evacuated from the building as firefighters battled the flames.
Authorities later confirmed that the fire had been brought under control.
The incident marks the first time Romanian civilians have reportedly been injured by a Russian drone since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Romania, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a dangerous escalation.
“This incident represents a serious and irresponsible escalation on the part of the Russian Federation,” Romania’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that Bucharest had formally informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and requested urgent measures to strengthen Romania’s anti-drone defence capabilities.
Romania’s defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were immediately scrambled after aerial threats were detected approaching Romanian territory.
“One of these drones entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar as far as the southern part of the city of Galati, and crashed onto the roof of an apartment building, with the impact triggering a fire,” the ministry stated.
Galati lies close to the River Danube, which forms part of Romania’s border with Ukraine. Ukrainian port infrastructure in the region has repeatedly come under Russian attacks in recent months.
Romanian authorities revealed that drone fragments linked to the war have been discovered on Romanian territory on at least 47 occasions since the conflict began, with 12 incidents recorded in 2026 alone.
In April, another Russian drone reportedly caused material damage in Galati, although no injuries were recorded at the time.
Russia has yet to officially comment on Friday’s incident.
Meanwhile, overnight air raid alerts were activated across parts of Ukraine as officials in the southern Odesa region reported fresh drone attacks around the strategic port city of Izmail.
Elsewhere in the conflict, authorities in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region claimed that three utility workers were killed during a Ukrainian drone attack on Thursday.
The Kremlin-installed governor of the region, Denis Pushilin, said a fourth worker sustained serious injuries during the incident.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued to intensify despite ongoing international diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and ceasefire negotiations.
Our Reporter · May 29, 2026