Russian Drone Hits Romanian Apartment Building, Wounding Two

A Russian drone struck an apartment building in Galati, Romania, wounding two people and sparking a fire. The attack marked the first time a residential building has been hit in Romania. A 14-year-old boy and a 53-year-old woman were hospitalized with serious injuries, officials said.

Romania is a NATO member and has been at odds with Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. The conflict in Ukraine has led to increased tensions between Russia and NATO-member states, including Romania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland. These countries are now increasingly exposed to incursions into their territory by drones from both warring sides.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Russia's war of aggression had crossed yet another line with the strike. NATO condemned Moscow's recklessness and vowed absolute solidarity with Romania, while France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot slammed what he called an irresponsible act.

Romania summoned the Russian ambassador and President Nicusor Dan convened a national defence council meeting to discuss the most serious incident to have affected our national territory since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The attack followed a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine on Saturday, which were among the most severe since the start of the war.

Russia has been threatening to escalate bombardments in retaliation for a Ukrainian strike that, according to Moscow, killed 21 people at a school in occupied Ukrainian territory. The Ukrainian strike has led to significant concerns about the escalating use of drones in the conflict.

A nationwide air raid alert had been issued in neighbouring Ukraine overnight in anticipation of Russian strikes, with at least two people wounded following the attack in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, according to local authorities. Latvia, which borders Russia, appointed a new government on Thursday, two weeks after the collapse of the previous administration due to a row over stray Ukrainian drone incursions.

The drones were detected in Romanian airspace, prompting the scrambling of two F-16 fighter jets. A Turkish cargo ship was hit by a Russian drone off the coast of Ukraine, sparking a fire and wounding two crew members. The attack has raised concerns about the increasing use of drones in the conflict.

Russia said its air defences had intercepted more than 200 Ukrainian drones overnight, with one person killed in the Volgograd region after a drone strike on a chemical factory. The attacks follow a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine on Saturday in one of the most severe attacks since the start of the war.

The international community has condemned the attack. In a statement, European Council President Charles Michel said the EU stands in full solidarity with Romania. NATO chief Mark Rutte wrote on social media after a phone call with the Romanian president that Russia's reckless behaviour is a danger to us all.

The incident has sparked a significant escalation in the conflict, with Romania's defence ministry saying it represents a serious and irresponsible escalation on the part of the Russian Federation. Bucharest has requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania.

The attack highlights the increasing use of drones in the conflict and the growing threat these pose to NATO-member states bordering Ukraine or Russia. A nationwide air raid alert had been issued in neighbouring Ukraine overnight in anticipation of Russian strikes, with at least two people wounded following the attack in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, according to local authorities.

The attack follows a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine on Saturday in one of the most severe attacks since the start of the war. NATO-member states bordering Ukraine or Russia, including Romania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland are increasingly exposed to incursions into their territory by drones from both warring sides.

A Turkish cargo ship was hit by a Russian drone off the coast of Ukraine, sparking a fire and wounding two crew members. Russia said its air defences had intercepted more than 200 Ukrainian drones overnight, with one person killed in the Volgograd region after a drone strike on a chemical factory.

The attacks have sparked widespread condemnation from the international community, with NATO chief Mark Rutte writing on social media that Russia's reckless behaviour is a danger to us all. The incident has also raised concerns about the increasing use of drones in the conflict and the growing threat these pose to NATO-member states bordering Ukraine or Russia.