Russian drone hits residential building in Romania – NATO reacts

Ukraine war

Russian drone hits residential building in Romania – NATO reacts

A Russian drone hits Galati, Romania – right in the middle of a residential building. There are two injured. How does NATO react and why could the drone not be shot down?

After a Russian drone hit a residential building in Romania near the border with Ukraine, the EU and NATO country wants to strengthen its defense in this area. At the same time, Bucharest called on its partners to increase pressure on Russia to end the war. President Nicusor Dan blamed Moscow for the incident. He called an emergency meeting of the country’s Supreme Defense Council and spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest said that Romania had asked NATO for an accelerated transfer of drone defense technology that had already been promised. The defense alliance promised help. “We condemn Russia’s ruthlessness, and NATO will continue to strengthen its defense against all threats – including drones,” said a NATO spokeswoman. The EU and several EU countries also expressed their solidarity with Romania.

The explosive-laden Russian Geran drone hit the roof of a ten-story apartment block in the eastern Romanian city of Galati, near the borders with Ukraine and Moldova, on Friday night. It broke through the roof and started a fire in the apartment directly below. A 53-year-old resident and her 14-year-old son suffered minor burns.

The drone came in the wake of Russian attacks in the region of the nearby Ukrainian Danube port of Reni, Defense Ministry officials reported. After the emergency meeting, President Dan said that the drone was part of a swarm of 43 flying objects.

“I state emphatically that all responsibility for this incident lies with the Russian Federation,” Dan previously wrote on Facebook. “What happened in Galati today is the direct result of the war of aggression unleashed by Russia against Ukraine (…) and the systematic disregard for international law.” There is no doubt as to the causes and reasons for this aggression.

The Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador to Bucharest after the incident. After the crisis meeting, Dan said the Russian consul in the nearby Black Sea city of Constanta would be expelled.

When asked why the country’s armed forces did not shoot down the drone despite seeing it on radar, Defense Minister Radu Miruta explained that shooting it down over inhabited areas would have caused even more damage and endangered human lives than the crash itself. Shooting it down is also difficult because Romania is not allowed to violate the airspace of another state during such maneuvers. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense complained that due to legal restrictions, radar devices could not be placed in the most appropriate places.