A Russian drone has recently struck a residential apartment building in the Romanian city of Galati, injuring two people on May 29.
“This is an unacceptable and blatant violation of our airspace”, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu told POLITICO. “We have confirmation it is a Russian drone.”
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Toiu also said NATO’S top commander, US General Alexus Grynkewich has “agreed” to previous proposals by Bucharest, asking the alliance to shift military equipment to Romania. In response to the drone incident, she said Romania will try to “accelerate” the delivery.
Romania reports it scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter to monitor the attack, adding that the pilots were authorized to shoot down any drones.
The incident sparked major condemnation from NATO allies and Bucharest, although this was not the first time. As per a CBC report, Romania has had Russian drones in its airspace 28 times since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Romania’s diplomatic retaliation
Although Romania did not invoke the alliance’s Article 4 provision, which would require alliance members to convene for urgent talks, Toiu added that “We have summoned the Russian ambassador (...) to inform them that we will close down the general consulate in Constanta”, and that the Russian consul general will be expelled.
A NATO military official who was granted anonymity to speak candidly said, as per previously mentioned POLITICO report, “the planes were primed and ready, and had all the necessary authorities,” but the “incident occurred over a populated area – that’s something we should consider.”
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Putin denies Russia was behind the drone crash
According to the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, the drone could possibly be of Ukrainian origin, claiming that European countries sought to “continue the confrontation with Russia and to justify exorbitant spending from their state budgets”.
“After all, we know that Ukrainian drones flew to Finland, and to Poland, and Ukrainian drones flew somewhere in the Baltic countries. The first reaction was the same as in Romania. Here’s the guard, the Russians are leaving, the Russians are beating. Then after a short time it turned out that it had nothing to do with Russian aircraft.”
According to AFP, Putin said Friday that “Russia has never threatened and is not threatening European countries” in remarks made after Romania accused its neighbour of responsibility for a drone that hit an apartment block.
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