BUCHAREST, April 25 - Romanian officials reported that fragments of a drone were recovered in the southeastern city of Galati after an overnight Russian strike on neighbouring Ukraine. The defence ministry said in a statement that an electricity pole and a household annex had been damaged in the incident, and that there were no casualties.
Romania's emergency response agency later said it was evacuating the area where the fragments were found because the pieces could contain an explosive charge. The agency said the recovered material will be disposed of in a secure location to reduce any risk to the public.
Romania, which is a member of both NATO and the European Union, shares a 650-km (400-mile) land border with Ukraine. The defence ministry noted that Russian drones have repeatedly penetrated Romanian airspace while Moscow targets Ukrainian ports on the opposite bank of the Danube river. Although fragments from such drones have fallen onto Romanian soil on prior occasions, Saturday marked the first instance in which property damage was reported.
In a statement, the defence ministry said: "The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area." The ministry added: "Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's lack of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, but also the collective security of NATO."
Two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, operating as part of a British air-policing mission in Romania, were scrambled to monitor the situation from the air. Officials described the interception as standard procedure. Residents in nearby Tulcea county were also warned to take cover during the incident.
Tensions along Europe's eastern flank have risen in recent months after suspected Russian drones breached the airspace of several NATO members. Romanian legislation permits the country to shoot down drones during peacetime if there is a demonstrable risk to lives or property, but authorities have not exercised that option to date.
Separately, Defence Minister Radu Miruta said on Friday that a U.S.-made, AI-powered counter-drone system would be integrated into Romania's national air defence systems within days after final tests. The Merops system, developed by Project Eagle - a U.S.-based company backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt - is intended to counter drone threats along the Danube river, Miruta said. The minister also noted that Poland is already deploying the system on NATO's eastern flank.
Authorities in Galati and national agencies continue to assess the situation and carry out disposal operations for the recovered fragments. Officials have emphasized the precautionary steps taken to protect residents and critical infrastructure while investigations and defensive integrations continue.