Putin’s drones breach Nato territory in latest attack on Ukraine

A crater visible at the presumed crash site of a Russian army drone, in Romania, September 7, 2023 (Picture: Inquam Photos)

Vladimir Putin’s drones breached Nato territory – for the first time in months- in a ‘serious’ violation of international law which could see member states dragged into the war.

A crater with the depth of 1.5m was discovered a couple of miles from the village of Grindu, in Romania.

The incident happened as Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube river.

Romanian F-16 warplanes and German Eurofighter Typhoon jets have carried out surveillance of the country’s air space, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Since pulling out of a deal allowing the safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea in July, Russia has been attacking ports and warehouses across the Danube River from Nato member Romania.

Since then, there have been isolated incidents of drone parts landing in Romania.

As a result, Romania has moved air defences closer to villages, expanded a no-fly zone and added more military observation posts and patrols to the area.

The ministry of foreign affairs announced on Thursday that it has summoned the Russian ambassador.

Ukrainian rescuers working near a residential building damaged as a result of a drone attack in Odesa (Picture: AFP)

CAt least 11 buildings were damaged in the latest attack (Picture: AFP)

Romania’s ambassador to Nato, Dan Neculaescu, wrote on X: ‘Another Russian drone crashed on Romania’s territory, in an uninhabited area, after last night’s attacks on Ukraine’s port infrastructure on the Danube.

‘Romanian Air Force and allied fighter jets were scrambled to conduct monitoring missions.

‘We informed all allies and the secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and remain in close coordination.

‘The ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against these continued actions, which are in flagrant contradiction with the international law and an irresponsible escalation.’

Meanwhile, Nato spokesperson Dylan White stressed that the alliance currently has no information indicating ‘any intentional attack by Russia’.

The drone attack on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region injured 11 people, including three children, emergency services said early on Thursday.

At least 11 buildings sustained damage, while an industrial site was set on fire by the strikes.

There was no indication where the attack had taken place in the region.

Video posted on the emergency services Facebook showed rescue teams clambering up ladders to reach buildings and shifting rubble on the ground.

One rescue worker was seen cradling a baby.

Odesa region governor Oleh Kiper had earlier said that a man had died in hospital from injuries suffered in an attack the day before.

The latest attack comes as the Russian president is holding his end-of-year news conference in Moscow, where he confronted his AI ‘double’.

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The attack could see Nato member states dragged into the war.