BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A Russian drone that was part of an overnight attack on Ukraine and then went astray slammed into an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people in the NATO member country, Romanian authorities said, adding to concerns that the war could spread across the alliance’s borders.The Russian drone was tracked by radar in Romanian airspace and crashed onto the roof of the building in the city of Galati, Romania’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. The impact was followed by a fire. The two people suffered minor injuries, and several others were evacuated.The Romanian military scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a helicopter that were authorized to engage targets, and alert messages were sent to residents of the affected areas. But the aircraft didn’t engage or shoot at the drone to bring it down.
Romania asked NATO for a faster transfer of anti-drone capabilities to its military, the Foreign Ministry said, calling the drone’s flight a serious violation of international law. The incursion was the latest in a litany of drone incidents — from both Russia and Ukraine — to afflict NATO member states and leave the 32-member trans-Atlantic organization on edge, drawing strong condemnation from Romania’s allies.
