BUCHAREST: Two British fighter jets scrambled and Romanian authorities on Saturday evacuated more than 200 people from a zone where a drone crashed after Russian strikes in neighbouring Ukraine, authorities said.
Romania, a NATO member, has repeatedly seen its airspace violated and drone fragments fall on its territory since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
But President Nicusor Dan said: “This is the first incident where Romanian property has actually been damaged, a threshold we take very seriously.”
Foreign Minister Oana Toiu summoned the Russian ambassador, a statement said. Romania’s defence ministry said in a statement the incident happened that after “Russian forces resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets” in Ukraine.
“A drone crashed in a populated area,” with a “possible explosive charge,” emergency services said in a separate statement.
No casualties were reported, but an electricity pole and a house outbuilding were damaged, authorities said, adding that gas supplies had been cut as a precautionary measure.
Two British Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets based at Borcea in Romania as part of a NATO force scrambled after the incident, the defence ministry said.
Britain’s defence ministry denied reports, however, that the planes shot down Russian drones.
