Bucharest condemned Moscow's actions in light of the drone incident and stated that it poses a threat to NATO's collective security. Romania is preparing to integrate an American drone defense system.
Romania, a NATO country, has suffered material damage from debris of Russian drones for the first time, the country's defense ministry reported on Saturday, April 25. In the city of Galați in the southeast of the country, an electricity pole and a building were damaged, with no casualties. The incident occurred during another massive Russian strike on Ukraine, writes DW.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense condemned Russia's actions as irresponsible. "Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's disregard for international law and threaten not only the safety of Romanian citizens but also the collective security of NATO," the statement emphasized. Romania shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine.
Military Reaction
As is usually the case during Russian strikes on Ukraine, two British Eurofighter jets, stationed in Romania as part of a mission to monitor airspace, were scrambled. Residents of the Tulcea area near Galați were instructed to take shelter in safe places.
In the past, Russian drones have repeatedly violated Romanian airspace during strikes on Ukrainian ports across the Danube. Drone fragments had previously fallen on Romanian territory, but there had been no material damage until now.
Tension on NATO's Eastern Flank
Such incidents in recent months have heightened tensions on NATO's eastern flank. Romanian legislation allows for the destruction of drones in peacetime when there is a threat to the lives or property of citizens, but the military has not yet exercised this right.
To enhance its defense capabilities, the country will integrate an American artificial intelligence-based drone defense system into its air defense system in the coming days, Defense Minister Radu Mircea announced on April 24. This system is already in use in Poland.
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>On the morning of Saturday, April 25, Russian🇷🇺 forces resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine🇺🇦, near the river border with Romania🇷🇴, in Tulcea County. https://t.co/mR1Bx0z9lI pic.twitter.com/gwJS9JJxQx
— MApN (@MApNRomania) April 25, 2026
