Key Points
- Putin questions if the drone in Romania was Russian
- Nato spokesperson affirms drone strike in Romania was of Russian origin
- Nato stands ready to defend 'every inch' of territory, secretary-general says
- Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and military helicopter to monitor drone attack
- Could Nato Article 5 be triggered by Russian drone strike on UK ally?
- Mapped: Where did the Russian drone strike Romania?
Breaking: Putin questions if the drone in Romania was Russian
17:04 , Bryony Gooch
Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday questioned if the drone which crashed into an apartment block in Romania was from Russia and suggested it could have been a Ukrainian drone.
Putin told reporters he had only just heard of the incident and suggested that the drone wreckage be handed over to Russia so that Moscow can conduct its own independent investigation.
He said: “Ukrainian drones flew into Poland and Baltic states before, I think we have the same situation here.”
"The first reaction was exactly the same as it is now in Romania: The Russians are coming," Putin said. "Then, after a short time, it turned out that it had nothing to do with Russian drones."
Putin also pushed back against remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who accused Russia of crossing another line with the incident, saying that she had not examined the drone debris herself.
A Nato spokesperson has said that the drones was of Russian origin.
Japan contributes £10.9 million to Nato PURL initiative
19:01 , Alex Croft
The Japanese government has contributed $14.7 million (£10.9m) to NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative, known by the acronym PURL, it said on Friday.
The Japanese foreign ministry's statement said that the contribution is only for non-lethal equipment.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has persistently asked allies for more defensive capabilities, among them Patriot systems and missiles, to fend off daily missile and drone attacks from Russia.
Analysis: Russian drones test Romania's readiness and Nato's capacity to tackle growing threat
18:31 , Bryony Gooch
Cristian Vlas, Assistant Research Manager at the Eastern Europe desk at ACLED, has said that the strikes in Romania test the country’s readiness as well as the capacity for Nato to deal with the evergrowing drone threat.
“The strike, even if proven accidental, could point to Romania having a limited toolkit to deal with smaller and cheaper targets that pose a danger to civilian life and being constrained by Nato’s engagement rules in border areas [...],” they said.
"In the past, the Romanian counties of Tulcea, Galați, Brăila, and Constanța had to deal with over three dozen instances where Russian drones crossed into Romanian airspace or fell on the ground. A similar 25 April Russian drone strike damaged a workshop and an electricity pole in Galați, forcing evacuation of over 500 people for the defusal of the explosive charge.
“These instances tested the Romanian authorities’ emergency readiness and the Nato and Romanian capacity to deal with an evergrowing drone threat, and kept civilians in these border areas under constant stress."
There was a wave of Russian drones entering Polish airspace in September last year, landing across Eastern Poland, which raised suspicion of an open provocation of Nato’s response to an asymmetrical threat coming from Russian drones."
Putin claims remarks about ending war were based on analysis of Russia's advances on battlefield
18:10 , Bryony Gooch
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Friday his remarks on 9 May about the Ukraine war coming to an end were based on an analysis of Russian advances on the battlefield. Putin, though, refused to give any specific timeline for an end to the war.
He said Western claims that Russia was preparing for war with Europe were lies. He added that Western media should feel ashamed of themselves for their coverage of what Moscow said was a Ukrainian drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-controlled Luhansk which left 21 people dead.
Ukraine says it struck Russian oil refinery in Volgograd region
18:00 , Alex Croft
Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery in the Volgograd region and an oil pumping station in the Yaroslavl region, Kyiv's general staff said on Friday.
The refinery stopped operations and depots at the station caught fire, it added on the Telegram app.
Russia's Volgograd region governor reported fires at a chemical plant and energy facilities after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Putin says Russia has the means to destroy anyone who attacks its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad
17:40 , Bryony Gooch
Russia has all the means necessary at its disposal to destroy anyone who attempts to attack the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, president Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Putin was responding to a question about remarks made by Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys earlier this month who said that Nato had to show Moscow it was capable of penetrating Kaliningrad.
Separately, responding to question about Russian intelligence reports alleging that Ukraine had sent drone operators to Latvia, Putin reiterated that any location which posed a threat against Russia was considered a legitimate target by Moscow.
Russia remained ready to continue talks on a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict however, Putin said.
Nato spokesperson affirms drone strike in Romania was of Russian origin
17:39 , Bryony Gooch
Nato’s spokesperson has said that the drone which crashed in Romania was of Russian origin amid claims from Vladimir Putin that they could be Ukrainian.
The spokesperson added that Nato was assessing how to improve Romania’s and the alliance’s defences against drone threats.
Russia preparing major new attack on Ukraine, says Zelensky
17:28 , Alex Croft
Russia is preparing a major new attack on Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday, citing intelligence data.
Russia said on Monday it intended to launch "systematic strikes" on targets in Kyiv and warned foreigners and diplomats to leave.
In a Telegram post, Mr Zelensky called for further sanctions on Russia and said the implementation of agreements with partners on air defence must not be delayed.
UK intelligence suggests almost half a million Russian soldiers have died in Putin’s invasion - ICYMI
17:00 , Alex Croft
Ukraine says it struck gas terminal in Russia's Temryuk port
16:37 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine struck a gas terminal in Russia's southern port of Temryuk, Kyiv's security service said on Friday.
It said on Telegram that a gas pipeline on the pier and several buildings caught fire. Russian local authorities reported that the flames had been extinguished.
Zelensky: Ukraine will support Romania in whatever way necessary
16:31 , Alex Croft
Messages of solidarity and support have continued to flood in for Romania after a Russian drone struck an apartment block overnight during an attack on Ukraine, injuring two.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will support Romania "in whatever way is necessary".
In a post on X, he added: "We count on the European Union's new sanctions measures against Russia to be truly strong and to make Russia feel that its strikes mean significant losses for Russia itself.”
German chancellor Friedrich Merz also offered Berlin’s support.
Germany "stands with (its) NATO allies," Merz said in a post on X as he condemned the “reckless” drone strike.
"The incident once again underscores the need for strong NATO posture on the Eastern flank. We are ready to defend every inch of Allied territory," he added.
Fire put out at southern Russian port after Ukrainian drone attack, authorities say
16:20 , Bryony Gooch
A fire at the southern Russian port of Temryuk, sparked by a Ukrainian drone strike, has been extinguished, regional authorities in the Krasnodar region said on Friday.
Russia’s ballooning $28bn Ukraine war bill forces Putin to make spending cuts
16:00 , Alex Croft
Russia expects to run at least $28bn over budget on its Ukraine war spending this year as advances slow and Kyiv gathers momentum with strikes across the border.
A letter from finance minister Anton Siluanov in February urged the cabinet to freeze around ₽2.9 trillion Russian roubles ($40.8bn) in planned non-war-related spending this year, warning that the ₽2trn overspend could rise to as much as ₽4trn in a “negative scenario”, according to the Financial Times.
Mr Siluanov also anticipated that Russia would overspend on the war by a further ₽4trn in 2027 and 2028.
While sources close to Vladimir Putin say the president still believes his forces can take all of Donetsk and Luhansk by the autumn, the woeful financial situation shows the difficulty Russia is running into after more than four years of bitter conflict with an emboldened Ukraine.
Our senior foreign correspondent James Reynolds reports:
Russia’s ballooning $28bn Ukraine war bill forces Putin to make spending cuts
Romania to expel Russian consul - and Moscow vows swift response
15:29 , Alex Croft
Romania is set to expel the Russian consul in the southeastern city of Constanta and shut down the consulate, Romanian President Nicusor Dan said on Friday.
The move comes after a drone fell on the roof of a block of flats and caused an explosion.
He also said that until Romania upgrades its air defences, it has agreements with Nato allies for some equipment to be relocated to the country.
Moscow responded near-instantly, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying Russia would react swiftly to the decision by Bucharest.
US ambassador to Nato condemns drone incursion - without mentioning Russia
15:01 , Alex Croft
The US ambassador to Nato, Matthew Whitaker has condemned the drone incident in Romania.
The Nato member, which borders Russia, said a drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
"We stand with our Nato ally Romania and condemn this reckless incursion on its territory," Mr Whitaker said in a post on X, without mentioning Russia.
"Our thoughts are with the injured in Galati. We will defend every inch of NATO territory," he added.
Putin informed about Romania drone incident, says Kremlin
14:38 , Alex Croft
Vladimir Putin has been informed about the drone incident in Romania, the state-run TASS news agency cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Friday.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte had accused Moscow on Friday of reckless behaviour and pledged to "defend every inch of Allied territory".
Mr Rutte was speaking into response to a Russian drone had crashed into an apartment block in Romania during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
Russia claims it has seized four Ukrainian villages
14:14 , Alex Croft
Russian troops have taken control of four settlements in Ukraine, Russia's RIA state news agency reported on Friday.
These were the settlements of Novopidhirne and Lisne in Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, and of Karaichne and Budarky in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
The Independent could not independently confirm the battlefield report.
Ministers unveil new crackdown on Russian saboteurs trying to damage Britain's vital undersea cables
13:52 , Alex Croft
The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Saboteurs who deliberately damage undersea internet cables around Britain are expected to face jail under new laws designed to crack down on Russian interference.
The penalty for interfering with communications cables currently carries fines of just £1,000, unless prosecutors can prove the action was on behalf of a foreign power, which can be punished with a prison sentence.
But Liz Lloyd, the digital economy minister, said in a speech in central London ministers would “make the law clearer, tougher, and much harder to evade, sending a clear message that if you act recklessly or if you deliberately target our cables, there will be serious consequences.”
The move is designed to act as a deterrent to protect the undersea fibre-optic cables, which are responsible for 99 per cent of the world’s digital communications, perform an essential role in commercial, government and military operations by securely transmitting information.
Any damage to Britain’s undersea cables could cause serious political and economic disruption.
Baroness Lloyd said the UK’s message to Putin was simple: “We can see what you are doing and any interference will have serious consequences”.
Starmer condemns 'serious violation of Nato airspace' in Romania
13:30 , Alex Croft
Sir Keir Starmer is the latest condemned a Russian drone strike that injured two people in Romania on Thursday night, calling it a “serious violation of Nato airspace”.
The incident saw a drone crash into a block of flats in the eastern Romanian city of Galati, near the country’s border with Ukraine, as Russia carried out further attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
In a statement, the Prime Minister said: “This is a serious violation of Nato airspace.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure threatens the security of our entire continent.
“The UK unreservedly condemns such strikes.
“Time and again, Russia has shown it has no regard for civilian life, for international law, or for the sovereignty of its neighbours.
“That must not be allowed to stand.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also condemned the incident, calling it “extremely dangerous and reckless”.
More images from the scene of the strike on Romania
13:30 , Alex Croft
Sybiha says Romanian incursion proves European continent is under threat
13:08 , Alex Croft
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has warned that the Black Sea region is under demonstrable threat following Russia’s drone incursion into Romania.
The incident proves that Moscow is posing a threat to the wider European continent, Mr Sybiha said.
"Ukraine stands firmly by Romania. We are ready to work closely together to strengthen protection from such threats," he added on X.
He added that strengthening Ukraine's air defence was a "strategic task" to protect not only Ukraine but also to reduce risks for neighbouring countries.
Magyar declares European unity 'more important than ever' after Russian drone incursion
12:47 , Alex Croft
We’ve got some more reaction in to the Russian drone which struck an apartment building in Romania, this time from new Hungarian prime minister Peter Magyar.
He expressed solidarity with Romania on Friday, and said the unity of Europe and the Nato alliance were "more important today than ever”.
Mr Magyar said Hungary condemned "in the strongest possible terms" any attacks endangering civilian populations and reject any violations of the territory and airspace of a sovereign EU and Nato member state.
Romania will not allow Russia's war on Ukraine to affect citizens, says president
12:28 , Alex Croft
Romania will not allow Russia’s war on Ukraine to affect its citizens, president Nicusor Dan vowed on Friday.
He was speaking after a Russian drone crashed into the southeastern city of Galati, injuring two.
Mr Dan added that he asked the foreign ministry to present without delay a series of measures regarding the country's relationship with Russia, "proportionate to this very serious situation".
Ukraine secures deal for 20 new fighter jets partly built in UK
12:05 , Alex Croft
Ukraine will significantly bolster its air defence with new Gripen fighter jets from Sweden under a new deal announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
The deal, unveiled at a joint press conference on Thursday, involves Ukraine purchasing 20 advanced Gripen E models and Sweden donating 16 older C/D variants next year.
The agreement builds on a letter of intent signed last year for Sweden to potentially sell up to 150 Saab Gripen E jets to Kyiv. While Gripen E deliveries are several years away, the immediate provision of C/D models offers a crucial stopgap for Ukraine's air force, which operates a mix of Soviet-era and Western aircraft.
Our senior foreign correspondent James Reynolds reports:
Ukraine secures deal for 20 new fighter jets partly built in UK
Woman killed in Russia's Volgograd region after Ukrainian drone attack, says Russia
11:47 , Alex Croft
Russian state media is reporting that a woman has died in Russia's southern Volgograd region after a Ukrainian drone attack.
The TASS news agency reported the news, citing local authorities.
Earlier on Friday, Volgograd governor Andrey Bocharov said that one person was killed and two were injured in an attack.
Ukraine reports overnight attack on Odesa region, neighbouring Romania
11:29 , Alex Croft
Local authorities in southern Ukraine have said that Izmail port in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region came under attack from several drones early on Friday.
Izmail, close to the Romanian border, is home to the largest Ukrainian port on the Danube River and is a frequently targeted strategic location.
It is less than 100 kilometres from the southeastern Romanian town of Galati, where an apartment building was struck by a Russian drone overnight.
Galati was last hit in April, when a drone damaged an electricity pole and a household annex, prompting evacuations. Officials retrieved that drone to detonate its unexploded payload remotely.
Another unexploded drone found in Romania, says Bucharest
11:09 , Alex Croft
We’re hearing reports of a second drone that has been found in northwestern Romania in a separate incident to the drone crash in Galati.
Speaking of the Galati incident, deputy interior minister Raed Arafat told private broadcaster Digi24 that the drone affected two building stairwells and damaged five cars.
In the other incident, a drone without an explosive charge was found around Basesti in Maramures county in northwestern Romania and the area was secured, state TVR broadcaster said late on Thursday, citing local authorities.
The authorities were investigating the origin of the drone, which the report said had a wingspan of about 3 metres (10 feet), and how it happened to be in the area, TVR added.
Mapped: Which European countries have been affected by Russian drones and interference?
10:47 , Alex Croft
Moscow cannot be allowed to breach Europe with impunity, says EU's top diplomat
10:31 , Alex Croft
We’ve heard from the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas after the Russian drone hit on a Ukrainian apartment building.
Moscow cannot be allowed to breach European airspace with impunity, she says.
"The Russian drone crash into apartments in Galați was a blatant and serious violation of Romania's sovereignty and European airspace,"Ms Kallas added in a post on X. "Russia has long ago stopped respecting borders."
Ms Kallas said she had spoken with Romanian foreign minister Oana Toiu to convey the EU's solidarity with Romania, which is a member of the 27-nation bloc.
Russia is dangerous whether or not Romania attack was deliberate, says Poland
10:15 , Alex Croft
Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski has warned Russia remains “dangerous” whether or not the attack was deliberate.
Mr Sikorski also expressed solidarity with Bucharest in his comments.
"Regardless of whether it was on purpose or the result of ineptitude, Russia is still dangerous and we must defend ourselves against it," he said.
Zelensky writes urgent letter to Trump over critical air defence shortage - ICYMI
09:53 , Alex Croft
Nato ready to defend 'every inch' of its territory, says Rutte
09:25 , Alex Croft
Nato will defend “every inch” of its territory, the alliance's chief Mark Rutte said on Friday in response to a Russian drone hitting apartment buildings in member state Romania.
"Russia's reckless behaviour is a danger to us all," Mr Rutte said in a post on X. "Last night showed yet again that the implications of their illegal war of aggression don't stop at the border."
"We will continue to strengthen our deterrence and defence at home and continue our support for Ukraine as they defend against Russia's aggression," he added.
Romania will sign a contract for anti-drone defences within hours, says outgoing PM
09:10 , Alex Croft
Romania will sign within hours a contract which will give it anti-drone defences under the EU'S SAFE programme, outgoing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday.
It comes after a drone fell on the roof of a block of flats and caused an explosion.
Could Nato Article 5 be triggered by Russian drone strike on UK ally?
08:57 , Alex Croft
After a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the Nato member state of Romania, the western military alliance condemned Moscow’s “recklessness”.
Whether the strike could prompt any further action from Nato is unclear - but it is unlikely to trigger a military response.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty states that an armed attack against one Nato member will be considered an attack against them all, and triggers an obligation for each member to come to its assistance.
The pledge is designed to create a protective umbrella around Nato states and warn hostile states against launching attacks.
But Moscow has been poking and probing at the alliance in the past year, with repeated drone incursions into Nato countries - but without launching any full-scale attacks.
Whether the strike in Romania can be deemed as an ‘attack’ is also unclear. It could be that the drone in question had its GPS signal jammed - a common air defence tactic - while it was heading for a target in Ukraine.
Article 5 has only been invoked once in the history of Nato - after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the US in 2001.
In pictures: Damage to Romanian apartment building after Russian attack
08:28 , Alex Croft
Russian ambassadors summoned over Romanian drone incident
08:07 , Alex Croft
Romania has summoned Russia's ambassador on Friday, foreign minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu has said, after a Russian drone injured two people during an overnight Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot also said that he had summoned Russia's ambassador after the strike on Galati in the country’s southeast.
