Nato condemns drone crash but questions linger over Russia's intentpublished at 15:31 BST

15:31 BST

Joe Inwood
World news correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

At this point we don’t know why a Russian drone ended up landing in Romanian territory. Understanding whether it was deliberate or an accident is absolutely vital here - and both are still possibilities.

Ukraine employs a large range of anti-drone and jamming technologies. It is far from impossible that one of these capabilities could have sent a Russian drone off course, resulting in the destruction in Galați.

Indeed, this is something Kyiv has in the past accused Moscow of doing - of diverting Ukrainian attack drones into Nato territory.

If this turns out to be the case, then the top Romanian general who said "we are not facing an attack… we are facing the effects of a conflict taking place in the immediate vicinity of our border” would be correct in his analysis.

But, there are others who believe that what we are seeing is a deliberate provocation by Russia, probing Nato defences to see how they react to a drone attack - and the political fallout.

When multiple Russian drones entered Polish airspace last September, the Institute for the Study of War said it was no navigational accident, but an "attempt to gauge both Poland’s and Nato’s capabilities and reactions".

It may be that the real reasons for last night’s incident are never officially confirmed, but as ever, intent is all important.

We're ending our live coverage. Read the full story here

Image source, Reuters

Daniela, 44, who lives behind the residential apartment block that was hit, tells Reuters her whole family was "scared" when they heard the crash.

"We could have died. I am afraid, what can I say, I'm speechless," she says.

Resident Dancu Constantin, 73, says he received an alert telling him to take shelter: "I closed the insulating glass because it was open, and then I went to the hallway."

He adds: "We no longer live with the hope of tomorrow that we have peace."

Cristina Dumitrescu, 58, asks: "Do we still have safety? Not anymore, right?".

She questions what the military was doing "before the drone fell in the city, in the very centre of Galați".

"What did the defence do? We are definitely not safe in Galați anymore," she adds.

Not the first Nato airspace violation - but one of the most seriouspublished at 15:03 BST

15:03 BST

By Kumar Malhotra

This incident is not the first time Romania or another Nato member nation has reported violations of its airspace near a border with Ukraine, but this has been one of the most serious.

Romanian defence ministry officials have told the BBC that since February 2022, Russian drones were reported to have breached the country’s airspace 28 times, including today’s incident. They also told us that so far this year, there have been 15 reported Russian breaches - 12 of them confirmed by analysis of drone debris that fell within Romanian territory.

Other Nato members have also reported incursions recently. Earlier this month, Estonia said a Nato fighter had shot down a drone - suspected to be a Ukrainian one that had gone off course – over its territory.

Lithuania and Latvia have both also detected drones entering their airspace this month, leading to the scrambling of fighter jets.

And there was also an incident in March this year, again involving Ukrainian drones thought to have gone off course.

One of the most significant incidents involving an airspace violation was in September 2025, when Estonia reported three Russian fighter jets strayed into its airspace for 12 minutes, leading to three Nato countries scrambling their jets in response. Russia denied violating Estonia’s airspace

Image source, Reuters

Nato and the EU have hit out at Russia after a drone hit a Romanian apartment building close the Ukrainian border, causing two injuries. Here's what we know:

The drone crash

• A drone hit the 10th floor of an apartment building in Galați, eastern Romania, causing a fire and the evacuation of 70 people, according to Romanian emergency crews.
• Authorities said the incident occurred at 01:50 local time (23:50 BST) and led to the destruction of an apartment, causing "traumatic injuries" to two people inside. No deaths have been reported
• BBC News Romania's Ruxandra Iordache reports prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident

What have Russia and Romania said?

• Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toia told BBC Newshour "we do have confirmation it is a Russian drone, and it was carrying explosive materials"

• Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced the expulsion of the Russian consul in the south-eastern city of Constanta and the shutting down of the consulate
• A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said the accusations of drones in European countries are "all unsubstantiated"

International response

• Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte has condemned "Russia's reckless behaviour" as "a danger to us all" while the European Commission's Ursula von der Leyen said Russia's "war of aggression has crossed yet another line"
• The UK, Germany and France were among countries to condemn Russia, while US ambassador to Nato, Matt Whitaker, said Washington stood with Romania and described the explosion as a "reckless incursion"

Palko Karasz
BBC News Magyarul

Image source, George Calin/Reuters

Romanian authorities have warned citizens to take emergency alerts seriously after reports some people ignored the warning sent minutes before the drone hit the apartment block.

“These messages are not a joke. If nothing happens, we are glad that nothing happens,” Bogdan Toma, spokesman for the Department of Emergency Situations, told a press conference on Friday.

Toma also called on people who had deactivated the alerts to turn them on again. They need no opt-in and reach every mobile phone in a given area, unless turned off.

One Galați resident said on Facebook that they usually ignored the messages. "But this time my child had also woken up, and we were both awake when the bangs were heard,” Carmen Negrila wrote.

There's a bit more now from Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry, who's been talking to Russia's RT and quoted by news agency RIA.

She says: "All the accusations we hear, particularly about drones somewhere in the European Union countries, are all unsubstantiated; not a single fact, material, or evidence has been presented."

Malu Cursino
Live reporter

In its latest analysis of the Ukraine conflict, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russian forces are continuing offensive operations in the direction of Kupyansk, a city in the east of Ukraine.

However, the ISW notes, external that Russia's attempts have been without success, as its forces have not advanced.

Ukraine is also continuing to carry out strikes against Russian military targets in the Luhansk region, which is occupied by Russia. Last week, Moscow voiced its fury at a Ukrainian strike that killed 21 people in the city of Starobilsk - Kyiv says it was targeting military assets.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, occupying many Ukrainian towns and regions - particularly those in eastern Ukraine. On Thursday the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that since the start of the war more than 15,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including nearly 800 children.

In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since 2022. Military experts suggest the real death toll on both sides of the conflict is likely to be much higher. On Wednesday, the UK's largest spy agency (GCHQ) said almost 500,000 Russian soldiers were killed in combat.

Moscow has stepped up its threats to Ukraine, and has warned that it will carry out "consistent, systematic strikes on Kyiv targeting its military industrial complex".

Mikey Kay
Military analyst and host of the Security Brief on BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Nato's Article 5 says an attack on one is an attack on all. But it has not been triggered yet.

There is an important part in the language as the attack has to be "sustained", meaning that a one-off wouldn't necessarily invoke Article 5.

Neighbouring Ukraine has become incredibly adept at counter-threat systems, which are taking down between 89% and 93% of drones coming over into their airspace. The question I'd start asking now would be: Where was this launched from?

If you look at the geography, I think it probably would have been a launch from Russian-occupied Crimea to begin with.

Romania says its radar systems were tracking the drone as it approached Romanian airspace and two Romanian F-16s were launched at about 01:20 local time. Given that they were tracking the drone, some questions remain about why it wasn't taken down.

One reason for this it that these drones fly incredibly low, down to about 50ft (15m) over territory, and if that drone entered Romanian airspace over a built-up area that makes it hard for the F-16s to shoot it down.

Last week on the Security Brief we spoke about drone warfare during the ongoing war in Ukraine, you can watch it in full here., external

Article 5 is one of Nato's core principles, external. It says that an armed attack against one or more members will be considered an attack against all.

In response, each other member would take "such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area".

The guarantee does not cover bases in foreign countries or territories outside the alliance area - which is why it did not apply at times including the Vietnam War or the Falkland Islands conflict.

The only time Article 5 has been invoked was after the 9/11 attacks against the US in 2001.

Under Article 4 member countries can bring any issue of concern, external - especially related to security - to the North Atlantic Council, Nato's main political decision-making body.

Since Nato's creation in 1949, Article 4 has been invoked seven times.

Image source, Getty Images

US ambassador to Nato Matt Whitaker says Washington stands with Nato ally Romania and condemns "this reckless incursion on its territory".

"Our thoughts are with the injured in Galați. We will defend every inch of Nato territory," he adds.

The Trump administration's stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine, and wider repercussions in neighbouring European countries, has differed from former president Joe Biden's.

Unlike Biden, Trump is closer to Vladimir Putin and has hosted the Russian president in American territory (despite an arrest warrant for Putin issued in 2023 by the International Criminal Court).

Earlier this month, Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine after both countries accused each other of violating separate ceasefires declared by each side to cover the celebrations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.

You can read more about that here

Ruxandra Iordache
BBC News România

Image source, George Calin/Reuters

Planes patrolled the airspace of neighbouring city Brăila for roughly an hour and a half following the drone explosion in Galați, an eye witness told the BBC.

“I went out in the courtyard, and it was my neighbour and I, and we were looking at them in the sky,” said Ioan Frățica, 45, who lives in Brăila but commutes to Galați for work.

He estimated at least two planes patrolled Brăila’s sky overnight.

“It was like in an airport, the noise,” he told the BBC, adding “there was a sensation of panic” as authorities did not immediately explain the reasons behind the air patrol.

“We didn’t even know if it was one drone involved, or if there were more,” Frățica said. “The reality is that what happened now... I don’t think there was any incident in the entire European region [like it].”

Image source, Reuters

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova says the "hype around the drone in Romania" is being used by "westerners" to divert attention from what happened a week ago in Starobilsk, in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine.

According to Russian officials, in Starobilsk Ukraine targeted a student dormitory with three waves of drone strikes, killing 21 students.

Ukraine denies targeting civilians.

Andreea Gheorghe
BBC News România

We can now bring you more from Romanian President Nicușor Dan's statement.

Dan has condemned the "irresponsible" stance of some Romanian political figures, saying they have been trying to "excuse Russia for this accident".

He says Moscow is fully responsible for the overnight drone crash in Galați.

Dan has also highlighted the signing of SAFE contracts and the common defence mechanisms, and agreements Romania has in place with Ukraine and the US.

SAFE (or Security Action for Europe) is an EU financial instrument designed to provide financial support for EU member states to boost their defence capabilities.

Under SAFE, Romania can access a loan worth €16.8bn (£14.5bn). This is one of the highest allocations among all EU member states, second only to Poland's €43.7bn (£37.9bn).

Image source, Reuters

Away from comments being made by Romania's president, Vladimir Putin is said to be "aware" of the drone incident in Romania, Russian state media reports the president's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying.

TASS also reports that Russia's foreign ministry will "respond soon" to Romania's decision to declare the Russian consul "persona non grata" in response to the crash.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan says his administration will expel the Russian consul in the south-eastern city of Constanta and shut down the consulate, local media reports.

AFP says the Russian consul has been declared "persona non grata".

Image source, EBU

Romanian President Nicușor Dan is currently making a statement after meeting with the Supreme Defence Council and summoning Russia's ambassador.

BBC Romanian are listening in and we will bring you the latest lines as soon as we can.

Ruxandra Iordache
BBC News România

Image source, Reuters

One Galați resident tells the BBC that he continues to feel safe in the city, despite the drone crash.

“We are part of Nato and there is, so to say, the necessary infrastructure in place to respond quickly [to such incidents],” Emil Horga, 67, tells the BBC.

He nevertheless says Romanian authorities demonstrated “certain hesitations” and could have been quicker to respond.

“In a certain way, it’s an internalised feeling regarding these events,” he says. “It is as if someone gets used to this state, living in a border region.”

Horga stresses it was “great luck” the drone chiefly struck the elevator shaft of the building.

Nick Thorpe
Central Europe Correspondent

The President of Romania Nicușor Dan has summoned a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council, which is happening now. And the Russian ambassador has been summoned.

He's been summoned before. He usually gets a slap on the wrist.

I think there is some talk unofficially in Romania this time of needing a much stronger response, perhaps even the expulsion of the Russian ambassador from Bucharest.

But I think that's a move that Romania would not take on its own - there have been obviously strong consultations this morning between Romania and Nato and EU allies.

Andreea Gheorghe
BBC News România

Image source, Reu

The drone crash in the south-east of Romania has left many in the country demanding a stronger response from Nato and the Romanian authorities.

Some have also taken to social media asking for more details on why the drone wasn't shot down.

The deputy commander of the Joint Forces Command, Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim, earlier highlighted that legal limitations and a general evaluation of risks had to be taken into account in this situation.

However, some have pointed out that a drone was shot down by a Romanian fighter jet over Estonian airspace just a few weeks ago – and are questioning why the same hasn’t been done over Romanian airspace.

"It is not normal to track them on radar until they hit buildings or fly over allied territory," one Romanian citizen writes on Instagram.

"They must be neutralised in time. The security of citizens and Nato territory must be a priority, not an explanation offered after each new incident."