Romania calls it the worst of many incidents

While Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on multiple occasions since the war started in 2022, including in Galati in April this year, no one has previously been hurt in any of the drone incidents in which many landed in remote areas.

In response to the latest incursion, Romanian President Nicusor Dan convened the NATO member's top defense body for a meeting on Friday to discuss the implications of what he called "the worst incident to hit the national territory" since Russia invaded Ukraine, and blamed Russia directly for the incident.

"We will have proportional measures in relation to the Russian Federation. ... There is no ambiguity about the author and the cause of this assault," he wrote in a post on Facebook.

Dan added that his thoughts are with the injured people, families and residents "who experienced terrible moments in their own homes."

The Romanian military scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a helicopter that were authorized to engage targets, and alert messages were sent to residents of the affected areas.

In recent years, airspace violations have become so common in Romania that lawmakers adopted legislation last year allowing the army to shoot down drones entering its airspace as a last resort. But Romania has remained cautious in downing errant drones, which can pose risks to populated areas.

Russia has been using long-range ballistic missiles and drones to damage Ukraine's power grid and hammer cities, and Ukraine has braced for further heavy bombardments.

Allies rally to condemn incursion

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that he had spoken to Romania's president and expressed the organization's "absolute solidarity" with its ally.

In a post on X, Rutte said he "affirmed that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory. We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones."

NATO allies are talking informally about the incursion but no official meeting about it was due to take place on Friday. Romania can request formal NATO consultations if it feels that it's territory or security is under threat.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb condemned the drone strike in Romania and wrote in a social media post that "Russia is crossing another line in its war of aggression against Ukraine."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said the incident showed that Russia "has crossed yet another line." She said the EU will keep strengthening security along its eastern border and was actively drafting another set of sanctions against Russia, the 21st so far.

"A Russian drone incursion struck a densely populated area in Romania, injuring civilians," she wrote in a social media post. "On EU territory."

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the risk of such "serious incidents" was raised by " Putin's increasing nervousness, driven by military setbacks."

"Russia is growing weaker on the battlefield in its war against Ukraine, yet it continues to pursue its objectives through brutal drone and missile attacks," he said in a statement.

Zelenskyy appeals for more Patriot missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday he was pressing the United States to provide more Patriot air defense missiles that can counter the Russian attacks.

He warned that deliveries to Ukraine are falling dangerously short as the Iran war diverts and depletes U.S. stocks. "I believe (the U.S.) must act quicker. We are being very persistent," Zelenskyy told reporters during a visit to Sweden.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned the U.N. Security Council that the escalation and intensification of attacks risks getting out of control, with "unknown and unintended consequences." He said that more civilians have been killed in the first four months of this year than in the same period in the past three years.

Guterres called for more diplomacy, immediate de-escalation and "a full and unconditional ceasefire."

>Article 4

NATO will hold a meeting and issue a strongly-worded letter. Putin is trembling at the thought.

>>1517296
I'm pretty sure Putin trembles from parkinsons disease and doesn't care what NATO says.

Nothingburger. Romanian president said the drone was hit by Ukrainian air defense.
>"When the drones were flying over Ukrainian territory, some of them were shot down. However, one drone, which was most likely hit over the Ukrainian city of Reni, changed its trajectory and headed toward the Romanian city of Galați," Nicușor Dan said.

>When asked whether the drone changed course accidentally or due to deliberate action, he explained that it had been kinetically hit, which caused it to deviate from its route and subsequently crash.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/romania-explains-strike-by-russian-drone-as-result-of-ukrainian-air-defense-activity/ar-AA24nELq

>>1517299
NATO, WEF and UN are full of shills who want to censor those who disagree with them. If you defend age verification and condone censorship, you are an ESL shill.

Putin, RT & Ivans in /news/ are shills that already condone censoring those who disagree with them. If you're against age verification , you are a projecting hypocrite ESL shill.

>>1517437
Of course, because age verification and censorship doesn’t stop at things you dislike. Good point.

>>1517296
I mean what can they do, realistically?
In wishful thinking land a no-fly-zone along Ukraine's border would be an option so in cases like this NATO countries wouldn't have to wait until a drone enters there territory before they attempt to intercept it, but does NATO have the magazine depth to maintain it against Russia challenging that with cheap one way attack drones?
More help for Ukraine would be an adequate response but I doubt that would be more than a gesture, everyone is already helping as much as they can and/or want and I doubt this incident will swing the needle in any particular direction for now.

I was just kidding, 1517458
Age verification & censorship against anything you like can only be a good thing in denying pedos such as you of your rights, 1517458
There's nothing wrong with denying pedos of their right to exist.

>>1517526
Of course, but do you have proof that anyone who doesn’t support age verification and the slippery slope of censorship that comes around back to bite you anyways, is a pdf?!