By Thomas Grove
An armed Russian drone crashed into a residential building in NATO member Romania early Friday, drawing fierce condemnation from the alliance and stoking fears that Russia will attempt to spread violence beyond Ukraine.
The drone, which crossed the border into the southeastern city of Galati, prompted Romania to scramble jet fighters. The aircraft attempted to intercept the drone before it crashed into an apartment block, setting fire to the roof and injuring several people, said local authorities.
The incursion, among the first to cause civilian injuries on North Atlantic Treaty Organization territory, is the most recent escalation by Moscow. Suspected Russian drones approached Lithuania from Belarus last week, triggering air-raid alarms and forcing the government into a bunker. Russia has also threatened to bomb targets in Latvia.
Romania, which saw the number of U.S. troops based on its territory cut last year, convened an emergency session of its Supreme Council of National Defense. President Nicusor Dan held a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
"Full responsibility lies with the Russian Federation, whose behavior demonstrates total disregard for international law and for the safety of the citizens of a NATO member state," Dan said in a post on X.
Moscow didn't immediately comment on the incident. Russian state news agencies acknowledged that its ambassador to Romania had been called into the country's foreign ministry.
-- Updates to follow as news develops.
Write to Thomas Grove at thomas.grove@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 29, 2026 05:58 ET (09:58 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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