NATO condemns ‘recklessness’ as Russian drone strikes Romanian apartment block
European leaders denounce the cross-border incident as a threat to security architecture, while simultaneous strikes in the Black Sea and Russian territory underscore the widening scope of aerial hostilities.
NATO has formally condemned Russia’s actions as reckless following a drone strike that struck an apartment building in Galati, eastern Romania, injuring two people and igniting a fire. The incident occurred during an overnight aerial assault on Ukraine, with the drone crossing into Romanian airspace before crashing onto the roof of a 10-storey residential block.
In response to the escalation, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed NATO allies and the secretary general of the circumstances, formally requesting the accelerated transfer of anti-drone capabilities. The ministry described the event as a grave and irresponsible escalation, underscoring the immediate need for enhanced defensive measures on the alliance’s eastern flank.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Russia had crossed another line, affirming full solidarity with Romania. She emphasised that while the EU continues to strengthen security and deterrence along its eastern border, it will maintain pressure on Moscow through increased sanctions and political isolation.
French officials also highlighted the broader implications for European stability. Benjamin Haddad, France’s Minister for European Affairs, told radio station RMC that the incident demonstrated Russia’s threat to the European security architecture. He noted the presence of French troops in Romania as part of NATO reassurance operations, designed to support the sovereignty of partner nations in the region.
Concurrently, the conflict expanded in the Black Sea, where Russian drones targeted three foreign-flagged merchant vessels in Ukraine’s export corridor. The Ukrainian navy reported a specific strike on a Turkish-owned, Vanuatu-flagged cargo ship bound for Turkey, which resulted in fires and wounded crew members. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba confirmed that crews successfully extinguished the blazes on board the affected vessels.
On the eastern front, Ukrainian forces claimed to have struck fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow. Governor Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed that fires broke out at the facilities, with firefighting efforts ongoing. In response, Russian authorities reported shooting down 208 drones overnight, with more than 80 intercepted in the southern Rostov region.
