Galati, Romania – A Russian drone struck a residential apartment building in the southeastern Romanian city of Galati early Thursday, injuring two people and raising fresh concerns over the spillover of the Russia-Ukraine war into NATO territory.
Romania’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that the incident occurred during overnight Russian drone attacks targeting Ukrainian infrastructure near the Danube River border. One of the drones entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar, and crashed into the roof of a 10-storey apartment building, triggering an explosion and fire.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, where the impact caused damage to a top-floor apartment. Authorities said two residents were affected — a woman who sustained minor burns and a boy who suffered a panic attack. Both received medical attention, and their conditions were described as non-life-threatening.
The Romanian military scrambled F-16 fighter jets in response to the airspace breach, but the drone could not be intercepted before it struck the building.
Security sources identified the drone as a Geran-2, Russia’s version of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 loitering munition, widely used in ongoing strikes against Ukrainian targets.
Galati lies close to Ukraine’s Reni port in Odesa region, an area that has been repeatedly targeted in recent Russian aerial campaigns. The proximity has led to multiple incidents of drone fragments landing on Romanian territory in recent months.
However, officials noted that this marks the first confirmed case in 2026 of a Russian drone directly hitting a populated residential building in Romania and causing injuries. Previous incidents involved debris with limited damage and no casualties.
Romanian authorities have consistently condemned repeated violations of their airspace and have coordinated with NATO allies to strengthen air policing operations, including deployments involving allied aircraft.
Despite the escalation concerns, Romanian officials indicated that the drone likely strayed off course rather than representing a deliberate attack on NATO territory. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The development underscores growing risks along NATO’s eastern flank as the conflict in Ukraine continues, particularly in border regions where military activity remains intense.
