UK summons Russian ambassador over 'reckless' drone attack on Nato member Romania
Vladimir Putin’s representative in the UK has been summoned to the Foreign Office after a Russian drone struck a building in Romania.
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The Russian ambassador in London Andrei Kelin was called in for a dressing down over the incident last week which left two people injured and violated the airspace of a Nato member state.
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.
It comes as Russia launched one of its biggest wave of attacks in Ukraine this week, killing over 20 people across multiple cities.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes hit the outskirts of the Russian city of St Petersburg on Wednesday, hours before the opening of a major economic forum was set to begin.
Another strike in Russian-occupied Ukraine killed eight people and injured 10 when a drone hit a passenger bus travelling through the eastern Donetsk region, according to Russian state media.
The crash in Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, was the first time in the war that a drone has hit a densely populated area in the country and caused injuries.
Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the strike, branding it a “serious violation of Nato airspace”.
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”.
Ms Cooper said she was in contact with Romania’s foreign minister, Oana-Silvia Toiu, adding the UK “stands united with Romania and allies to defend every inch of Nato territory”.
The incident saw Nato jets scrambled, with General Secretary Mark Rutte insisting the actions of Russia are "a danger to us all" as he reassured Romanian
President Nicușor Dan that Nato "stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory".