British Royal Air Force jets were scrambled and 200 people evacuated after a Russian drone crashed in Romania during a large-scale overnight bombardment of Ukraine, marking the first time property on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) soil has been damaged in such an incident.
Drone fragments fell in the southeastern Romanian city of Galati, damaging an electricity pole and a house outbuilding, while gas supplies were cut as a precautionary measure. Romania, a member of both NATO and the European Union (EU), shares a 650-kilometre land border with Ukraine and has seen Russian drones repeatedly breach its airspace as Moscow attacks Ukrainian ports on the other side of the Danube River.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan described the incident as the first in which Romanian property had actually been damaged, calling it “a threshold we take very seriously.” Romania’s Foreign Minister subsequently summoned the Russian Ambassador over the incident.
Two RAF Eurofighter Typhoon jets were scrambled from Fetesti Air Base at approximately 02:00 local time to monitor and intercept aerial targets after radar systems detected multiple drones approaching Romanian airspace during the attack.
Romania’s Defence Ministry firmly condemned what it described as irresponsible actions by Russia, warning that such incidents demonstrate a lack of respect for international law and endanger both Romanian citizens and NATO’s collective security. The ministry noted the development represents a new challenge to regional security in the Black Sea area.
The overnight attack targeted multiple regions across Ukraine, including Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv. Ukrainian authorities reported strikes on residential areas and infrastructure, with casualties recorded across several cities. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed fatalities in Dnipro, where a rescue operation was underway at a struck residential building, and called for urgent international support to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences.
Romanian law permits the shooting down of drones during peacetime if lives or property are at risk, though this option has not yet been exercised. Romania’s Defence Minister said a United States-made, artificial intelligence-powered counter-drone system would be integrated into national air defence systems within days, following final tests.
