Russian Drone Hits Romanian Building

A Russian drone struck a 10-story apartment building in Galati, southeastern Romania, on Friday, May 29, 2026, during an overnight attack on neighboring Ukraine, injuring two people. This incident marks the first time a drone has hit a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries, escalating concerns on NATO's eastern flank regarding the spillover of the conflict. The drone impact caused an explosion and a fire on the building's roof, leading to the evacuation of 70 residents and medical treatment for two individuals on site, with a woman and child later hospitalized for minor injuries.

Romania, a NATO and EU member, shares a 650-km land border with Ukraine. The Romanian defense ministry reported that Russian drones have breached its airspace 28 times since Moscow began targeting Ukrainian ports across the Danube River. Fragments of drones have been recovered 47 times within Romanian territory. In response to the latest incident, the defense ministry scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter to monitor the attack, authorizing pilots to intercept drones if necessary.

Separately, a drone without an explosive charge was discovered in Maramures county, northwestern Romania, prompting an investigation into its origin. Concurrently, Ukrainian authorities reported that the Izmail port in the Odesa region, a strategic location near the Romanian border, was attacked by multiple drones early Friday morning. Romanian law permits shooting down drones during peacetime if lives or property are at risk, though this measure has not yet been implemented.