BUCHAREST, April 25 - Romanian authorities said on Saturday they recovered fragments from two drones following an overnight Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine, and that the foreign ministry had summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the incidents.
The defence ministry reported that debris was located in the southeastern city of Galati, where an electricity pole and a household annex sustained damage, and also in nearby Tulcea county. Officials said there were no casualties.
Romania's emergency response agency said it temporarily evacuated residents close to the drone found in Galati until authorities could safely remove the fragments, which officials warned might contain an explosive charge.
In a formal statement, the defence ministry characterised the episodes as an irresponsible action by the Russian Federation that introduces a fresh challenge to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area. The statement added that such incidents display "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 that are part of a British air-policing mission in Romania were scrambled to monitor the airspace during the incident, a routine measure according to authorities. Residents in Tulcea county were also warned to take cover while the situation was being assessed.
Romania shares a 650-kilometre land border with Ukraine and has repeatedly experienced incursions by Russian drones as Moscow has targeted Ukrainian ports on the opposite side of the Danube river. While fragments from struck drones have fallen on Romanian territory on multiple occasions, officials said Saturday marked the first time that property had been damaged.
The defence ministry's condemnation was accompanied by a diplomatic protest: the foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to register Romania's objections over the incidents.
Romanian law permits shooting down drones during peacetime if there is a risk to life or property, though government officials said they 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 in a matter of days after completing final tests. The Merops system, developed by Project Eagle - a U.S.-based company backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt - was described by Miruta as capable of countering drone threats along the Danube river. Poland is already using the system on NATO's eastern flank.
Context and immediate developments
Authorities emphasised that while there were no injuries, the physical damage to an electricity pole and a household annex represents an escalation in the material impact on Romanian territory from cross-border drone strikes. Emergency teams took precautionary measures near the Galati debris to manage the potential hazard posed by any explosive components.
Diplomatic and defence responses
The summons of the Russian ambassador underscores Bucharest's diplomatic protest in response to the events, and the deployment of NATO air-policing assets to monitor the skies reflects routine allied procedures in response to airspace incidents.
Romania is moving to bolster its air-defence posture with the imminent integration of the Merops counter-drone system, which officials say will enhance the country's ability to respond to unmanned threats along the Danube.