NATO states slam Russia after drone crashes in Romania
The incident adds to concern that Moscow’s war on Ukraine risks spilling over to entangle neighbouring NATO states.
Romania and its NATO allies have reacted angrily after a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest on Friday labelled the crash of the drone, part of an overnight attack aimed at Ukraine, a serious violation of international law. The incident is just the latest incursion along the alliance’s eastern flank, raising concern that the risk of an open confrontation between Russia and NATO states is rising.
Romania said the overnight drone was tracked by radar in its airspace before crashing onto the roof of a residential building in the city of Galati.
Two F-16 fighter jets and a helicopter were scrambled, as authorities issued emergency alerts to residents. Two people suffered minor injuries, and several residents were evacuated after a fire was triggered by the crash.
‘Consequences’
The incident is just the latest of several, as the war in Ukraine has spilled over into neighbouring NATO countries, raising fears of potential escalation.
Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, as well as Finland, have reported repeated incursions into their airspace in recent months. Drone incursions led to a government collapse in Latvia earlier this month.
Shortly after the crash, Bucharest called for NATO to speed up the transfer of anti-drone capabilities. Outgoing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan also said Romania would, within hours, sign a contract which will give it anti-drone defences under the European Union’s SAFE programme.
On Friday morning, Romania summoned the Russian ambassador.
“We will officially communicate the consequences that this lack of responsibility on the part of the Russian Federation will have for the diplomatic relations between our countries, as well as the next steps at the European level regarding sanctions packages,” Foreign Minister Oana Toiu wrote on social media.
President Nicusor Dan said Romania will not accept that the war of aggression waged by Russia against Ukraine be transferred to its citizens, and added that he had asked the Foreign Ministry to present without delay a series of measures regarding the country’s relationship with Russia, “proportionate to this very serious situation”.
After a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defence in Bucharest, Dan said that the Russian consul in the Black Sea port city of Constanta has been declared persona non grata and that the consulate there will be closed. Russia also has an embassy in Romania’s capital, Bucharest.
NATO allies and others joined the chorus of anger.
French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad said the incident highlighted the threat Russia poses to European security, noting that French troops are stationed in Romania.
“Regardless of whether it was on purpose or the result of ineptitude, Russia is still dangerous and we must defend ourselves against it,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told the Reuters news agency.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the incident showed that “Russia’s war of aggression has crossed yet another line.”
A NATO spokesperson also condemned “Russia’s recklessness” on social media.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, whose country is pressing the United States to help boost its air defences, pledged that “Ukraine stands firmly by Romania” as he branded Russia a threat to the Black Sea region and the wider European continent.
“We are ready to work closely together to strengthen protection from such threats,” he wrote on social media, adding that the bid to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence is a “strategic task” to protect not only Ukraine but also reduce risks for neighbouring countries.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the escalating attacks risk spiralling “out of control”, with “unknown and unintended consequences”.
He said more civilians had been killed in the first four months of this year than during the same period in the previous three years, and called for diplomacy, immediate de-escalation and “a full and unconditional ceasefire”.
Moscow hits back at accusations
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that it was too early to say if the drone which crashed into an apartment block was Russian.
“Who in Romania says that this is a Russian drone?” Putin asked reporters at a news conference in Astana, Kazakhstan.
He said he had only just heard of the incident as he had been in talks all day. “No one can say what the origin of this or that drone is until an examination has been carried out,” he said.
Putin added that Ukrainian drones had previously been spotted in Finland, Poland and in the Baltic countries.
“The first reaction was exactly the same as it is now in Romania: The Russians are coming,” Putin said. “Then, after a short time, it turned out that it had nothing to do with Russian drones.”
Putin suggested that Romania share information about what happened and potentially drone fragments so that Moscow could conduct its own investigation
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Friday warned that similar incidents could continue as long as European states support Ukraine.
“Of course, it is necessary to determine whose drone it was”, Medvedev said on Russia’s social media platform Max.
“But in any case, all EU countries need to shut up on this matter. European states are direct participants in the war against Russia, and no one is arguing about that anymore,” he added.
Rising risk
Concern that the war is threatening to spill over is building, as Russia escalates hostilities in a bid to ward off rising political and economic pressure at home.
Ukrainian forces reported that they shot down 217 drones overnight on Friday. Russia attacked with 232 drones and one ballistic missile. Hits were recorded in 14 areas, Kyiv’s air force said.
Moscow has said it plans “systematic strikes” on Kyiv and has issued a barrage of threats at Ukraine’s European allies, listing facilities in Europe that it said are involved in manufacturing drones and components for Ukraine.
Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service recently warned the Baltic nations that their NATO membership would not protect them from retaliation should they allow Ukraine to launch attacks from their territory, with analysts warning that the risk of an open confrontation between Russia and NATO states is rising.
That heightens concern regarding NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause, which President Donald Trump has hinted the US may not honour in some cases.
However, the US ambassador to NATO denounced the “reckless incursion” in a social media post, although he did not explicitly call out Russia for the incident.
“We will defend every inch of NATO territory” wrote Matthew Whitaker.
Secretary-General Mark Rutte also insisted that NATO will defend all of its territory.
“Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,” he wrote on social media. “Last night showed yet again that the implications of their illegal war of aggression don’t stop at the border.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that all the accusations about Russian drones flying in Europe “are all unsubstantiated, not a single fact, material, piece of evidence has been presented,” RIA news agency reported.
