Russian drones – a recurring threat
For the first time, a Russian drone hit a household in Tulcea County, on the Ukrainian border.
Ştefan Stoica, 27.04.2026, 14:00
For the residents of the southeastern Romanian counties of Tulcea and Galați, located on the border with Ukraine, alerts regarding the possible fall of drone fragments, a consequence of Russian attacks on the neighboring state, have become commonplace. However, what happened on Friday night exceeds all previous incidents in terms of seriousness. The Defense Ministry reported that a drone used by the Russian Federation against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine illegally entered national airspace and damaged both private and public property. No casualties were reported.
The drone struck a workshop within a private household and an electricity pole on public property in the city of Galați. Over 500 domestic and non-domestic consumers across several city streets were left without natural gas on Saturday morning after the operator cut the supply at the request of the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. At the same time, 315 people living along the route of the specialized transport organized by the authorities were evacuated while the drone was moved to a detonation site outside the city.
President Nicușor Dan strongly condemned what he called Russia’s “irresponsible behavior” stating that incidents like the drone crash in Galați demonstrate a lack of respect for international law and endanger the safety of the citizens of Romania, a NATO member state. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan also denounced the repeated violation of Romanian airspace by Russia, assessing that these incidents generate security risks for Romania and other states on the Eastern Flank.
Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest to the Ministry headquarters on Saturday. The Romanian side condemned the violation of Romania’s airspace and expressed a firm protest against this unacceptable action, which represents a breach of Romania’s sovereignty. Attention was also drawn to the grave risks posed to the security and safety of Romanian citizens. According to the Foreign Ministry, Russia is blatantly and systematically violating fundamental obligations regarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and peace. The unprovoked act of aggression and the large-scale illegal war that Russia has waged for over four years against a sovereign state represent a persistent and serious threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire Black Sea region, the Ministry specified.
Defense Minister Radu Miruță announced that the General Staff is currently analyzing a repositioning of monitoring and defense systems along the border with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Romanian MEP Victor Negrescu has dispatched an official request to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, calling for strengthening European mechanisms for monitoring and rapid response to airspace violations. (VP)
