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A Russian Geran-2 drone struck a multi-story apartment complex in Galati, Romania, on the evening of May 28-29. The Romanian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported on May 29 that Russian forces struck civilian and infrastructure close to the Ukrainian-Romanian international border along the Danube River on the night on May 28 to 29, during which a drone entered Romanian airspace and struck a residential apartment building in Galati (approximately seven kilometers from the Ukrainian border), causing a fire. The strike injured at least two civilians. The Romanian MoD reported that two Romanian F-16 fighters and an IAR 330 SOCAT helicopter scrambled at 0119 local time on the morning of May 29 after the drone entered Romanian airspace. Romanian authorities reported that the drone was a Russian Geran-2 (the Russian-produced version of an Iranian Shahed-136) and that its entire payload detonated upon impact. Footage of the debris is also consistent with that of a Shahed-type drone. Romanian President Nicusor Dan stated that 43 Russian drones were flying toward Romania from the east, one of which Ukrainian air defenses likely intercepted above Reni, Odesa Oblast (east of Galati along the international border with Romania and Moldova), altering its trajectory. Dan stated that Russia bears the full responsibility for the drone strike, as Russia’s behavior disregards international law and the safety of the citizens of a NATO member state. Romanian Acting Foreign Minister Oana Toiu stated that Romania is engaging in discussions about possibly activating NATO’s Article 4 provision, a consultation between NATO member states, in response to the Russian drone strike. Romania shut down the Russian consulate in Constanta and declared the Russian consul persona non grata in response to the strike.
Russian drones have violated Romanian airspace at least 28 times (and drone fragments have entered Romania, reportedly as many as 47 times) since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but this is the first incursion that injured civilians in Romania or in any NATO member state. The Romanian MoD noted in September 2025 — during a period of intense Russian drone incursions into NATO states bordering Ukraine, including intentionally at times — that Russian drones had conducted about 50 drone strikes near the Ukrainian-Romanian border since February 2022, including 30 strikes in which debris fell on Romanian territory. Russia notably violated Polish airspace with at least 19 drones on the night of September 9 to 10 in intentional Russian incursions. Increasingly frequent Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has adopted a reckless policy that accepts the risk of Russian drones entering NATO airspace as an acceptable consequence of its strikes in Ukraine. Putin now appears to accept the risk of inflicting civilian casualties in NATO states as an acceptable consequence of Russia’s strike campaign.
Romanian Armed Forces Joint Staff Acting Commander, Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim, spoke about constraints on Romania’s air defense abilities on May 29. Maxim stated that Romanian law prohibits Romanian air defenses from operating in such a way that would affect the airspace of a neighboring country, including firing a projectile that could enter Ukrainian airspace. Maxim stated that four minutes passed between when Romania detected the Russian drone in Romanian airspace and when the drone struck the apartment in Galati, noting that four minutes was not enough time to detect, identify, and intercept the drone. Maxim also stated that Romanian forces need to consider the risk of debris from air defense operations inflicting more damage than the drone could inflict itself, noting that Romanian forces had no opportunities to intercept the drone safely. Maxim stated that these strikes are the consequence of a conflict occurring near Romania’s border that is directly affecting Romanian residents. Given the restrictions on Romania’s air defense operations, NATO may need to consider negotiating possible air defense agreements with Ukraine and Moldova as a matter of self-defense against Russian drone strikes against NATO countries, regardless of whether the Russian drone incursions are accidental or intentional.
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