BUCHAREST, April 25 (Reuters) – Debris from a drone was found in the southeastern city of Galati after Russia attacked neighboring Ukraine overnight, causing damage to power poles and household attachments, the Romanian defense ministry said in a statement.
The Defense Ministry said there were no casualties.
Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, shares a 650-kilometer (400-mile) land border with Ukraine, and Russian drones repeatedly violated its airspace as Moscow attacked Ukrainian ports across the Danube.
While drone debris often falls in Romania, Saturday marked the first time property was damaged.
“The Ministry of Defense strongly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that these actions pose new challenges to regional security and stability in the Black Sea region,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation’s lack of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the security of Romanian citizens but also NATO’s collective security.”
Two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, part of Britain’s air policing mission in Romania, were scrambled to monitor the attack from the air, which is standard procedure. Residents of neighboring Tulcea County were also warned to take shelter.
Tensions have heightened on Europe’s eastern flank in recent months after suspected Russian drones violated the airspace of several NATO countries.
Romanian law allows drones to be shot down in peacetime if life or property is threatened, but this has not yet been done.
A U.S.-made artificial intelligence counter-drone system will be integrated into the country’s air defense system within days of final testing, Defense Minister Radu Miluta said on Friday.
Miruta said the Merops system, developed by Project Eagle, a US company backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, will be able to deal with drone threats along the Danube River.
Poland already uses the system on NATO’s eastern flank.
(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Tom Hogue)
