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Romania Confirms Exploded Drone That Struck Galați High Rise Was a Russian Geran 2
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Romania’s Ministry of National Defense has determined that a Russian “Geran-2” drone struck a residential high-rise building in the city of Galați on May 29, according to Digi24.
According to preliminary findings cited by the defense ministry, the entire payload carried by the Russian-made “Geran-2” drone detonated upon impact.
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The Geran-series drones are Russian-produced systems based on the Iranian Shahed design, which Moscow has widely deployed in its war against Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Officials also confirmed that two people injured in the blast were transported to the Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital for medical treatment.
In an official statement, the Ministry of National Defense strongly condemned what it described as Russia’s irresponsible actions, warning that the incident represents a further threat to regional security and stability in the Black Sea area.
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“Such incidents demonstrate Russia’s disregard for international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, but also NATO collective security,” the statement said.
During the press conference, Romanian Brigadier General Gheorghe Maxim clarified that the military did not have sufficient time to intercept the drone before it reached its target, while also pointing to a series of legal and technical constraints that affected response procedures.
“The first limitation we have is legal: we cannot open fire in a way that would affect the airspace of a neighboring country. In addition, engaging an aerial target requires a certain amount of time, which includes detection, identification and engagement. The four minutes we had available were extremely short,” Maxim said.
He added that Romania’s air defense systems were designed and produced before 2023, prior to the emergence of large-scale drone warfare, although efforts are ongoing to modernize and improve their capabilities.
Asked why Gepard air defense systems were not deployed, Maxim explained that their use is restricted by deployment conditions in peacetime.
“We must have the consent of owners and operators in order to deploy such systems, which have a limited range of between 1.5 km and 6 km… because private property is protected by law. It is peacetime. Where we have received consent, we have deployed systems. Where we have not received consent, we have not deployed them,” he said.
On May 29, Russian drone struck a residential apartment block in the Romanian city of Galați overnight, sparking a fire on the 10th floor.
Romanian authorities said the drone crossed into national airspace during a wider overnight Russian strike targeting civilian and infrastructure sites in Ukraine’s Odesa region near the Romanian border.
The impact caused the drone’s warhead to detonate, igniting a fire inside the building. According to Romanian media outlet Digi24, a woman sustained first-degree burns, while a 14-year-old suffered an acute stress reaction. Both were hospitalized and received medical treatment.
Roughly 70 residents were either evacuated or left the building on their own following the strike.
The Romanian Ministry of Defence said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Fetești air base at 1:19 a.m. to track and intercept the drone, with support from an IAR 330 SOCAT helicopter. Military pilots were reportedly authorized to engage the target.
After the drone was detected in Romanian airspace, air raid warnings were issued via the Ro-Alert system for residents in Tulcea, Galați, and Brăila counties. The drone’s crash was recorded at approximately 1:53 a.m., according to officials.
At the same time, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu has said Romania anticipates a rise in both the frequency and intensity of Russian hybrid attacks targeting NATO, particularly within allied airspace.
She added that Romania, together with other NATO member states, is preparing proposals aimed at reinforcing the Alliance’s coordinated response to hybrid threats, including those attributed to Russia across land, maritime, air, and other complex operational domains.
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