russian drone — The Russian drone crash in Romania has drawn strong condemnation from President Nikos Christodoulides, who described the incident as “reckless”. The collision occurred in the city of Galati, where a drone reportedly entered Romanian airspace and crashed into a residential block, causing a fire and injuring two individuals.
Photo: cyprus-mail.com
In a social media post, Christodoulides stated, “The drone crash into a residential building in Galati is a serious escalation, a flagrant violation of Romania’s sovereignty, and a stark reminder that Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to threaten European security.” He emphasised the importance of European unity in addressing the evolving security challenges posed by such incidents.
Romania’s defence ministry confirmed early on Friday that the drone was tracked by radar before crashing onto the roof of a ten-storey flat. The ministry noted that the drone had strayed into Romanian airspace amid ongoing drone attacks targeting civilian and infrastructure locations in Ukraine, particularly near the border with Romania.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu reported that two people sustained minor injuries from the incident, while several residents required medical attention due to the fire caused by the explosion. Toiu remarked, “This incident represents a serious and irresponsible escalation by the Russian Federation. Romania will take the necessary diplomatic measures regarding this serious violation of international law and of its airspace.”
She further conveyed that Romania has notified EU member states and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about the situation, seeking enhanced support to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romanian forces.
Rutte expressed NATO’s solidarity with Romania, stating, “I assured him of NATO’s absolute solidarity with Romania. We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones.” He reiterated that “Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,” highlighting the broader implications of Russia’s actions for regional security.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also weighed in, stating that the incident marked another crossing of the line by Russia in its war of aggression. Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry denied the allegations, asserting through spokeswoman Maria Zakharova that the claims made against them were unfounded and lacked supporting evidence.
