Brussels, Belgium. NATO accused Moscow on Friday of reckless behaviour and pledged to defend every inch of allied territory after Romania said a Russian drone crashed into an apartment block in the alliance member state during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
Drone incident in Romania
Romania’s defence ministry said a woman and a child suffered minor injuries in Galati near the border with Ukraine overnight after radar tracked a Russian drone entering Romanian airspace and reaching the southeastern city.
Photos from the scene showed charred and damaged brickwork on the roof of the 10-storey apartment block which Romanian authorities said was hit by a drone that exploded on impact, causing a fire in a top-floor flat.
Russia did not immediately comment on the incident.
Reaction from NATO and Romanian officials
It was the first time a densely populated area in a NATO country had been hit causing injuries during Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the incident is likely to increase tensions on the alliance’s eastern flank as member states worry about the war spilling over their borders.
“Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on X after speaking by phone to Romanian President Nicusor Dan, whose country is in both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.
“I affirmed that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory,” he said, without making any mention of triggering NATO’s mutual defence clause. “We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones.”
Dan said on X that Russia’s behaviour “demonstrates total disregard for international law and for the safety of the citizens of a NATO member state.”
Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said the Russian ambassador had been summoned, and Romania’s top defence council met following the incident.
Romania, which shares a 650-km (400-mile) land border with Ukraine, said Russian drones had breached its airspace 28 times since Moscow began attacking Ukrainian ports across the Danube River following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
