Eastern Balkans in May 2026: the most important developments in security
In May 2026, security news in the Eastern Balkans centred on a Russian drone that struck an apartment building in the Galati area of Romania, near the Ukrainian border, on 29 May. Two people were injured. NATO and EU officials condemned the attack, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte vowed to defend every inch of allied territory. Romania invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which provides for consultations among members, and closed the Russian consulate. Russia confirmed that President Vladimir Putin was aware of the incident, and a Russian official told Romania to get ready for more such incidents. Bulgaria condemned the strike and moved to block US tanker aircraft from using its bases.
Earlier in the month, Romania scrambled jets over Russian drones, and Bucharest prepared to host a major defence exhibition with exhibitors from 36 countries. Romania also moved to take over the bankrupt Mangalia shipyard for defence production.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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