Ukraine intercepts Russian drones even if their trajectory is not directed at Ukrainian cities but towards Romania, Moldova, Poland, or the Baltic states. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while commenting on the strategy to counter air attacks.
Informing partners and interception strategy
According to the head of state, if Ukrainian air defense systems fail to shoot down a drone, Kyiv immediately informs its allies. The goal of such actions is to give partners time to react before the drone crosses their state border. Zelensky emphasizes that this is not just a security issue, but an attempt to prevent the escalation of the conflict on the territory of other countries.
Drones as a tool of political pressure
The President of Ukraine asserts that Moscow is using drones not only to inflict physical damage but also as a tool of psychological pressure on NATO countries. According to Zelensky, the Kremlin is testing the Alliance's reaction and assessing the readiness of partner countries for defense. "This is a typical signal from the Kremlin: do not help Ukraine," the president noted.
Zelensky also pointed out that Vladimir Putin is comparing NATO's current reaction with previous years, trying to understand how much the Alliance's strategy has changed. "Moscow is interested in whether they are capable of intercepting all missiles and drones," he added.
Previous incidents and NATO's reaction
On the night of September 10, 2025, Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Zelensky then confirmed that at least two dozen Russian attack drones were directed at Poland, of which Polish forces shot down four. At Warsaw's request, NATO invoked Article 4 of the Treaty and then launched Operation "Military Guardian" to transfer equipment to Poland.
In a comment at the time, Zelensky explained that with such actions, Putin is "testing NATO" — checking what the Alliance is ready for and how the local population will react to it.
New incident in Romania
Now the story is repeating itself on the territory of another NATO member country. On May 29, a Russian "Geran-2" (analog of "Shahed") hit a high-rise building in the Romanian city of Galati. An apartment on the 10th floor was damaged and set on fire, two people were injured, and another 70 were evacuated. F-16 fighters were scrambled to intercept, but the drone was not shot down because the threat arose over a populated area.
Call for a stronger response
Zelensky emphasized that there must be a stronger response from the united NATO. "I believe there must be a stronger response from the united NATO," the president stated. He also added that such actions by Russia require a coordinated reaction from all countries of the Alliance to prevent further escalation of the conflict.