Romania confirms Russian Shahed-type drone behind earlier strike on residential building
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Editor's note: The story was updated with a statement from Romania's Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta.
Romania's Defense Ministry on May 31 confirmed that the weapon that struck a residential building in Galati overnight on May 29 was a Russian Geran-2 (Shahed-type) drone.
"The evidence identified at the scene is structurally and functionally identical to those recovered... in previous incidents involving Geran-2 type unmanned aerial vehicles," the country's Defense Ministry said.
The strike was recorded at around 2:00 a.m. local time, but the country's Defense Ministry said the "target was initially identified at 01:46 (a.m.), in Ukrainian airspace, approximately 19 kilometers (12 miles) from the national border."
Speaking to journalists, Romania's Acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta was unable to confirm earlier statements by Romania's president that the drone entered the country's territory after being hit by Ukrainian air defenses, according to Romanian TV channel Digi 24.
"Whether it was intentionally redirected or lost communication is something we have no way of knowing," Miruta said.
Miruta added that the Russian drone was carrying 30 kilograms of trinitrotoluene (TNT).
"As long as it carries an explosive payload, it is the duty of those who launch it to control its trajectory," the minister said.
Galati, located in eastern Romania, is only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the tripoint border of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, near southern Odesa Oblast.
The drone has been widely regarded as Russian, a claim that Kremlin officials denied or questioned.
On May 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the attack, claiming that "nobody can know the origin of the drone."
"Not a single fact, material, piece of evidence has been presented," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. "All the accusations that we hear, in particular about drones somewhere in the countries of the European Union, they are all unsubstantiated."
According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the drone in question has been verified as Russian. Previous drone incidents recorded by the Romanian authorities occurred in January 2025, February 2025, and April 2026, the government's statement read.
The strike injured two people, drawing condemnation from European leaders over the latest long-range drone incursion into NATO territory.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on X that the incident is a "serious and irresponsible escalation" by Russia.
"Romania will take the necessary diplomatic response measures regarding this serious violation of international law and of its airspace," Toiu said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that "Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line."
