Ukraine war a 'direct threat' to EU's east, leaders say after Romania drone blast

The Ukranian naval drone exploded in Romania's Constanta Port on Friday morning. (AP: Observator Antenna 1)

A Ukrainian naval drone exploded in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta after drifting off course, prompting evacuations but causing no casualties.

The incident came a week after another drone crashed into an apartment building in Romania, injuring two people.

EU leaders warned the war in Ukraine is becoming a "direct threat" to countries along the bloc's eastern border as cross-border drone incidents increase.

A Ukrainian naval drone has exploded in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta, as European leaders warned the war in Ukraine is becoming a "direct threat" to countries along the EU's eastern border.

Friday's blast came just a week after another aerial drone crashed into an apartment building in Romania, injuring two people.

The Romanian Defence Ministry said the latest drone self-detonated in the port of Constanta at around 10:30am, local time, after the area had been secured and isolated by authorities. No casualties were reported.

No casualties were reported after the drone explosion, which Ukraine said it had warned Romania about in advance. (AP: Observator Antenna 1)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the war was "increasingly becoming a direct threat to countries on our Eastern border" in a social media post.

Romania, an EU and NATO member, has reported dozens of airspace breaches since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The latest incident comes as Russia has intensified its aerial campaign against Ukraine in recent weeks, launching a major attack on Kyiv on Tuesday that killed 22 people and injured dozens of others.

Ukraine responded by striking an oil export terminal in St Petersburg hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual economic forum got underway on Wednesday.

Flames rise from a residential building after a drone crash in the Romanian city of Galati on May 29, 2026. (AFP: Romanian Department for Emergency Situations)

European Council President António Costa also said the EU "condemns the repeated violations of airspace of Member States and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the security of all Member States".

"These incidents are a direct consequence of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," he wrote on social media.

Ukraine's navy said the naval drone had been operating in the Black Sea when it lost control as a result of Russian electronic warfare and drifted towards the Romanian coast.

Romania, a NATO member, was joined in condemning the incident by NATO, while its d