Russian President Vladimir Putin has cast doubt on whether a drone that struck an apartment block in Romania was from Russia, urging the country to hand over the wreckage for investigation. Speaking during a state visit to Astana, Kazakhstan, Putin told reporters that the origin of the drone was yet to be determined, stating that “no one can say what origin a particular aircraft has until it has been examined.” He called on Romania to turn the drone over to Russia for what he described as “an objective investigation.”
Romania Confirms Drone Was Russian
However, Romanian President Nicusor Dan identified the drone as Russian. In a statement, Dan said: “We had a Russian drone, Geran-2, leaving Russia. We know the trajectory, we know where it went through Ukraine, we know where it entered Romania, part of a swarm of 43 Russian drones, of which only one reached Romanian territory.” The incident occurred in Galati, where the drone struck an apartment building.
Military Officials Weigh In
Gen. Gheorghe Maxim, interim commander of the Romanian armed forces' joint staff, told a news conference that the drone was not “an attack from Russia against Romania,” but he added that “Romanians should understand that Russia is a threat to the security of the countries in the area.” The strike has heightened tensions between NATO member Romania and Russia, as the war in Ukraine continues.
Putin also claimed that the conflict in Ukraine was “near its end,” though he provided no further details. The denial comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of Russia's military activities near NATO borders.
