Russian Drone Hits Apartment in Romania; NATO and EU Condemn Attack

\r\n
[Financial News] On the 28th local time, a Russian attack drone struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member state. As fears grew that Russia may be trying to expand the war beyond Ukraine to NATO allies, NATO and the European Union (EU) swiftly and strongly condemned Russia, foreign media including Euronews reported.
According to Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the drone had been used in a late-night strike targeting Ukraine, but veered off course and crashed into an apartment building in Galați, Romania. The impact sparked a fire, injuring two residents, while several others received medical treatment at the scene.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania described the incident as "a serious violation of international law and Romanian airspace" and said it had immediately informed NATO while requesting the rapid transfer of anti-drone weapons.
In a statement, the ministry said, "This incident shows a serious and irresponsible escalation of provocations by the Russian Federation," adding, "We will take all necessary diplomatic measures."
\r\nNATO also described the incident as "Russia's reckless act" and confirmed that it is in close contact with Romanian authorities.
Under NATO rules, Romania is protected by the alliance's collective defense system, which requires all member states to come to the aid of any ally under attack. That means the incident carries the risk of escalating into direct military conflict between NATO and Russia.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan immediately convened the National Defense Commission and announced that he would "order proportional response measures against the Russian Federation."
In a post on social media, Dan said, "The unprecedented seriousness of this incident requires a firm, coordinated and appropriate response at the national, allied and international levels." He added, "As a NATO member, Romania will never accept Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine being passed on to the Romanian people in any way."
This is not the first time the fallout from the war in Ukraine has affected Romania and other NATO members. In the past, debris believed to be from Russian drones has been found several times on Romanian territory, and other neighboring countries have also reported airspace violations.
In particular, after a Russian drone violated Polish airspace last September, NATO leadership announced new measures to strengthen air defenses on the eastern front.
European leaders have long argued for support for Ukraine, warning that if Ukraine collapses, the entire European continent could be at risk.
\r\nUrsula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, strongly warned over the damage caused by the Russian drone, saying that "Russia's war of aggression has crossed another line," signaling a firm response from the West.
\r\n
jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-joon Reporter