"Russia Has Crossed Another Line."
- 29.05.2026, 13:53
The world reacts to a Shahed strike on an apartment building in Romania.
At night, a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Galati. NATO, the EU and allies are already demanding a response from Moscow.
RBC-Ukraine has collected the reactions of Romania, NATO and the EU to the incident.
Romania: "Unacceptable"
Romanian President Nicusor Dan called an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defense Council and spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
"I strongly condemn this unacceptable violation of Romania's sovereignty. Full responsibility lies with the Russian Federation, whose behavior shows a total disregard for international law and the security of the citizens of a NATO state. Romania will not accept that Russia's aggression against Ukraine threatens the security of Romanian citizens," Dan said.
Romania's acting Prime Minister Ilie Boloian put it succinctly: "The situation is unacceptable. Romania must strengthen its defense."
Kiev: strengthening air defenses protects neighbors as well
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga wrote that the incident confirmed the reality of the threat to the entire region.
"The incident with the intrusion of a Russian drone into Romanian airspace and its explosion in a residential area of Galati has once again proved that Russian aggression is a real threat to the Black Sea region and the whole of Europe," Sibiga said.
Tougher sanctions and pressure on Russia are needed, the foreign minister said.
"Strengthening Ukraine's air defense is also a strategic task to protect not only our country, but also to reduce risks for our neighbors," he added.
EU and NATO reaction
The incident triggered a wave of statements from allies.
NATO: "We condemn Russia's recklessness. We will continue to strengthen defenses against all threats, including drones."
US Ambassador to NATO Whitaker: "We stand in solidarity with our NATO partner Romania and condemn the irresponsible invasion of its territory. We will defend every inch of NATO territory."
European Commission Chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen said Russia had "crossed another red line" and announced the preparation of a 21st package of sanctions.
Romania's Defense Ministry earlier confirmed the type of drone that hit the house: it turned out to be a Geranium-2 - not a Shahed, as first reported. The Romanian side released technical details after the completion of the initial inspection of the wreckage.
As reported by RBC-Ukraine, this is not the first such case on Romanian territory. On May 16, an unexploded unguided rocket shell was found in the village of Pardina near the border with Ukraine. At that time, sappers were involved in the emergency situation.