Drone Strikes Apartment Building in Romania Amid Russian Attacks on Ukraine

<p>A drone struck an apartment building in Romania on Friday, causing an explosion and fire that resulted in multiple injuries, according to local authorities.</p><p>The Romanian Ministry of Defense reported that the incident occurred while Russia was conducting a drone attack in Ukraine near the Romanian border.</p><p>The ministry stated, "A drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems as far as the Southern area of Galați municipality, and crashed onto the roof of a residential apartment building."</p><p>Romania, a NATO and European Union member, has documented over two dozen incidents of Russian drones entering its airspace since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.</p><p>This incident marks the first time a drone has struck a populated area in Romania, leading to injuries.</p><p>According to state news reports, a woman and her child were hospitalized with minor injuries, while two others received treatment for panic attacks at the scene.</p><p>In response to the incident, Romania requested enhanced anti-drone capabilities from NATO and characterized the drone's flight path as a serious violation of international law, as reported by The Associated Press.</p><p>The Romanian emergency response agency indicated that the drone exploded upon impact, igniting a fire on the 10th floor of the building.</p><p>Seventy residents were evacuated, and the fire has since been controlled.</p><p>The defense ministry noted that two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter were dispatched to monitor the situation, with pilots authorized to intercept any threatening drones.</p><p>This incident followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's appeal for additional Patriot air defense missiles from the United States to counter Russian attacks, emphasizing concerns over dwindling military resources.</p><p><em>Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em></p>