Russian drone strikes apartment block in Galati, Romania

A Russian Geran‑2 drone, part of a swarm of 43 that crossed from Ukraine, veered off course and slammed into the roof of an apartment building in Galati, Romania. The impact created a hole, sparked a fire and left a 53‑year‑old woman and her 14‑year‑old son with bruises and minor burns. Residents heard an alert at 02:00‑03:00, describing the drone as “falling objects from the surrounding airspace,” and many later expressed fear, saying “It was really very terrifying.”

Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the drone was damaged by Ukrainian air defenses and mistakenly entered Romanian airspace, ruling out a deliberate Russian attack. NATO allies condemned the incident, but Romania opted not to invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty, avoiding an emergency meeting. In response, Bucharest closed the Russian consulate in Constanța and hinted at expelling the Russian ambassador.

The strike marks the most serious drone incident on Romanian soil since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, highlighting the spill‑over risks of the conflict for NATO’s eastern flank.