Russian Geran-2 Drone Hits Romanian Apartment Block, EU Signals 21st Sanctions Round

A Russian Geran-2 drone crossed into Romanian airspace during an overnight attack on Ukraine on May 29 and struck a 10-story residential building in the southeastern city of Galați, injuring two people and triggering a fire. Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță identified the drone as a Geran-2, the Russian version of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in the NATO and EU member state and caused injuries. Galați sits on the Danube River, near the borders of Ukraine and Moldova. The impact injured two people and forced the evacuation of 70 residents. Romanian Brig. Gen. Gheorghe Maxim told reporters the drone was in Romanian airspace for four minutes, flying low, which complicated radar detection.

Romania scrambled fighter jets but did not intercept. The Romanian military deployed two F-16 fighter jets and a helicopter that were authorized to engage targets. Maxim said the U.S.-supplied Merops anti-drone system was operational in Romania but would have been too risky to employ in a populated urban area. Romania's parliament adopted legislation last year authorizing the military to shoot down drones entering its airspace as a last resort, but the government has applied that authority cautiously in practice. The Galați strike is the 28th time Russian drones have breached Romanian airspace since Moscow began attacking Ukrainian ports across the Danube, according to Romania's defense ministry. Galați was previously struck in April, when a drone damaged an electricity pole and a household annex; officials retrieved that drone and detonated its unexploded payload remotely.

Bucharest responded with a series of diplomatic measures. Romanian President Nicușor Dan declared the Russian consul in Constanta persona non grata, announced the closure of the Russian consulate in that city, and summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry. Dan also notified the United Nations Security Council. The Romanian Foreign Ministry described the incident as a "serious and irresponsible escalation" by Russia. Romania simultaneously asked NATO for an accelerated transfer of anti-drone capabilities, citing the drone's flight path as a serious violation of international law. Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said Romania must accelerate its defense buildup and indicated that a contract under the EU's SAFE program to procure anti-drone equipment for the Romanian army was imminent, according to POLITICO. The SAFE program, or Security Action for Europe, is a European Commission financing instrument established in 2025 to support joint defense procurement among member states.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by announcing that the EU would advance a new sanctions package against Moscow. Von der Leyen said Russia had "crossed yet another line" and confirmed the EU was preparing a 21st package of Russian sanctions. EU officials were already drafting that package, which is expected to tighten restrictions on Russian oil exports, expand sanctions on energy companies and shadow fleet vessels, and could include new penalties against Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. The EU adopted a 20th package on April 23, 2026, comprising 120 further individual listings, described by the Council as the largest listings package in two years. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated the 21st package could cross previously established red lines, saying Brussels needed to re-evaluate restrictions that had blocked certain prior measures. Hungary, under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, had previously secured exemptions for Russian pipeline oil and succeeded in removing individuals such as Patriarch Kirill from sanctions lists. Orbán lost re-election, and his successor, Péter Magyar, is expected to assume office before the next EU summit in Brussels, removing a longstanding veto threat.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the strike and reaffirmed the alliance's collective defense commitment. "Russia's reckless behavior is a danger to us all," Rutte said in a statement. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker called the strike a "reckless incursion" and said the alliance would "defend every inch of NATO territory." French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot summoned Russia's ambassador and described the incident as an "irresponsible act," telling a public broadcaster that Moscow had "targeted a friendly country, an EU and NATO member." Moldova's Prime Minister Maia Sandu also condemned the incident, per POLITICO. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the incident. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said all accusations regarding Russian drones flying in Europe were unsubstantiated.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia's Security Council and former president, issued a warning to EU citizens on social media, asserting that their governments had "unilaterally entered into a war with Russia." Medvedev blamed European leaders for strikes on Russian territory and threatened that similar incidents on EU soil would continue. His social media posts since Russia's 2022 invasion have frequently included threats against Western countries, nuclear rhetoric, and personal insults directed at European and U.S. leaders. The statements carry no binding legal authority but track a documented Kremlin signaling pattern. NATO's eastern flank has experienced a wave of errant drone incidents across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in recent weeks, with Moscow accusing the Baltic states of allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to strike Russian territory. The Baltic governments, in a joint statement with Nordic allies, rejected those claims as "blatant disinformation."