Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday, 25 June summoned Romanian Ambassador Cristian Istrate to formally notify Bucharest of Moscow's retaliatory measures following the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta. The move marks a sharp escalation in a bilateral diplomatic standoff rooted in a cross-border drone incident that struck Romanian soil in late May.

Moscow's Retaliatory Step

During the meeting, Ambassador Istrate was presented with a formal diplomatic note declaring the Consul General of Romania in St. Petersburg persona non grata and announcing the imminent closure of the Romanian consular office in that city. Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed the summons, stating that the ambassador had been called to the Russian Foreign Ministry 'to be notified of Moscow's response to the closure of its consulate in Constanta.'

The Ministry characterised the expulsion as a direct response to what it called 'Bucharest's unfounded revocation of consent for the operation of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta and the declaration of its director as persona non grata.'

What Triggered the Diplomatic Fallout

The chain of events began when a maritime drone self-detonated in Romania's Constanta port last month, causing no casualties. The incident was followed by a more serious episode during the night of 28 to 29 May, when, according to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, the Russian Federation resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine in the vicinity of Romania's river border.

A drone entered Romanian airspace, was tracked by radar systems to the southern area of the city of Galati, and crashed onto the roof of a residential apartment building, triggering a fire. The incident drew immediate condemnation in Bucharest.

Romania's Initial Response

Following a meeting of Romania's Supreme Council of National Defence, Romanian President Nicusor Dan announced the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Constanta and declared its Consul General persona non grata. 'In this situation, the Russian Consul General in Constanta has been declared persona non grata, and the Russian Consulate General in Constanta will be closed,' Dan said.

The council's deliberations centred on the consequences of the drone crash in Galati, with defence officials treating the incursion into Romanian airspace as a serious breach of the country's territorial integrity. Romania is a NATO member state, making any such incident a matter of broader alliance concern.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This tit-for-tat expulsion follows a pattern seen across Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with multiple NATO states progressively downgrading diplomatic ties with Moscow. Romania's proximity to the conflict — sharing a river border with Ukraine — has placed it at the frontline of spillover incidents. Notably, this is not the first time a drone has crossed into Romanian territory since the war began.

With both consulates now set to close, the diplomatic channel between Moscow and Bucharest has narrowed significantly. Observers will watch whether either side moves to further reduce embassy-level representation in the weeks ahead.