Crisis in the relations between Russia and Romania, near the Ukrainian border, resulting in the injury of two citizens.
He rejected accusations of Russian responsibility, saying there was still no evidence of the drone’s origin and leaving clear hints that it might be a Ukrainian drone.
“No one knows where the drone came from”
The Russian president, speaking to reporters after his official visit to Kazakhstan, said he only recently learned about the incident in Romania.
“I heard that a drone flew in Romania, I don’t know where it came from,” he said characteristically, attempting to deconstruct the direct accusations made by NATO and the European Union.
“The first reaction in the EU is to point to Russia for any drone and then it turns out that’s not the case,” he said, recalling similar incidents in Poland and the Baltic states.
Moscow leaves open the possibility of Ukrainian origin
The Russian president went a step further, saying that the incident “probably involved a Ukrainian drone.”
“Ukrainian drones have flown into various countries and the initial reaction has always been that the Russians are attacking,” he said with obvious irony.
At the same time, Moscow appeared willing to participate in an investigation of the incident, under conditions. “If Russia receives objective data about the drone crash in Romania, it will conduct an objective investigation,” Putin noted, essentially demanding access to the UAV wreckage.
Romania: Expulsion of Russian consul and closure of consulate
The incident has already caused serious diplomatic repercussions. The president of Romania, Nikusor Dan, announced the expulsion of the Russian consul general in Constanta, Andrei Kosilin, while at the same time it was decided to close the Russian consulate general in the city.
Bucharest’s decision is considered Romania’s toughest diplomatic move towards Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russian warning of retaliation
Moscow reacted immediately to the decisions of the Romanian government, warning that there will be a response to the diplomatic sanctions imposed by Bucharest.
Russian officials have called the consul’s expulsion “unjustified and politically motivated,” while Kremlin circles hint that symmetrical countermeasures are being considered.
It brings back to the fore the risk of the Ukrainian conflict spreading to NATO member states at a time when tensions in the Black Sea region remain particularly high.
