Vladimir Putin responds to reports of drone crash in Romania

On May 29, 2026, reports emerged that a drone crashed in the Romanian city of Galati, resulting in injuries to two people. Romanian authorities attributed the incident to a Russian attack directed at neighboring Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that the drone belonged to Russia and suggested it could be Ukrainian. Putin criticized European officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, for accusing Russia without conducting a formal inspection of the wreckage. He proposed that the debris be handed over to Russia for an independent investigation. The Russian president also claimed that Ukrainian drones have previously entered the airspace of Finland, Poland, and Baltic nations. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that accusations regarding Russian drones in European airspace lack supporting evidence. Tensions remain high as Western nations have condemned the incident.