Imagine waking up to an explosion in your own neighborhood. That's exactly what happened in the southeastern city of Galati, Romania, where a Russian drone crashed into a 10-story apartment building during an overnight attack on neighboring Ukraine. 😱
This isn't just a close call—it's a first. This marks the first time in the ongoing conflict that a drone has hit a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries. A woman and her child were rushed to the hospital with minor injuries, while others were treated on-site for panic attacks. Around 70 residents had to be evacuated as a fire broke out on the 10th floor. 🏢🔥
What exactly happened?
According to the Romanian defense ministry, the culprit was a Geran 2 drone of Russian origin. The drone managed to slip into Romanian airspace for about four minutes, flying so low that it was nearly invisible to radar. While Romania has the US-made anti-drone system Merops, officials said using it in the middle of a city was too risky. To respond, Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter to monitor the situation, with pilots authorized to shoot down any threats. ✈️🛡️
Why this matters
Romania is a member of both NATO and the European Union, and this incident is sending shockwaves through the international community. It's a stark reminder of how the conflict in Ukraine can spill over borders. Romania shares a 650km land border with Ukraine and has already dealt with Russian drones breaching its airspace 28 times since attacks on Danube River ports began.
The global reaction
The world is not taking this lightly. A NATO spokesperson slammed Russia's "recklessness," promising to strengthen defenses against drone threats. Meanwhile, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen stated that Russia has "crossed yet another line." 🚩
Romania's Foreign Minister, Oana Toiu, called the event a "serious violation of international law" and has already summoned the Russian ambassador. Bucharest is now pushing for an accelerated transfer of anti-drone capabilities to ensure this doesn't happen again. 🌍💬✨
Reference(s):
Romania says Russian drone struck apartment block, injuring two
cgtn.com
