Russian drone hits Romanian apartment building, injures two

A Russian drone struck a residential building in the Romanian city of Galati, igniting a fire and injuring two individuals. The Romanian National Defence Ministry confirmed the drone was Russian-made, adding to escalating regional security concerns.

The incident took place on the night of May 29th, during a period of renewed Russian drone attacks targeting civilian and infrastructure sites in Ukraine, close to Romania's border. The drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems, and ultimately crashed onto the roof of an apartment building in the southern part of the Galati municipality, according to a ministry statement.

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The drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems up to the southern part of the Galati municipality, and crashed onto the roof of a residential building, with the impact causing a fire.

Emergency services, including the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, and the police, responded to the scene. The ministry also reported that radar systems detected other drones flying near Romanian airspace. "RO-Alert" warnings were issued to residents in the Tulcea, Galati, and Braila counties.

In response, two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from the 86th Air Base in Fetesti, supported by a Romanian Air Force helicopter, to intercept the drone. The pilots were authorized to engage targets throughout the air alert period. Approximately 70 people self-evacuated or were evacuated from the building following the drone's impact. The Romanian National Defence Ministry strongly condemned Russia's actions, labeling them as irresponsible and a new challenge to regional stability and NATO's collective security.

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The National Defence Ministry strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that they pose a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea region. Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's disregard for international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens but also NATO's collective security.