Putin asks Romania to probe drone incident

Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Romania on Friday to conduct an investigation into the reported drone that struck a residential building.

Speaking at a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, Putin pointed out that Ukrainian drones had previously crossed into Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states, initially triggering accusations against Moscow before investigations produced different conclusions.

“We know that Ukrainian drones also flew into Finland, Poland, and the Baltic countries,” Putin said. “The first reaction was exactly the same as now in Romania. ‘The Russians are coming, the Russians are attacking.’ Then, after a short time, it turned out these drones had nothing to do with Russia.”

According to him, drones can deviate from their routes because of electronic warfare systems or technical malfunctions.

“In this case, I think most likely we are dealing with exactly such a situation,” he said.

The Russian president added that if Romania or its partners provided Moscow with “objective data,” Russia would conduct its own investigation.

Asked about the developments on the battlefield, Putin said the conflict in Ukraine appears to be moving toward its conclusion, but it remains impossible to predict specific timelines during wartime.

“Our forces are advancing in all directions. You can see it yourselves—every single day,” Putin said.

At the same time, he said Western countries continue supplying Ukraine with drones used in attacks on Russian territory, arguing that Russia therefore needs to further strengthen its air defense systems.

Despite the ongoing fighting, Putin said certain contacts regarding a possible peace process remain in place, although no formal negotiations are currently underway.

“We are ready for them. We have never refused negotiations, and we never stopped them,” he said.

He also commented on statements by European politicians who accused Russia of having “aggressive plans,” dismissing them as “nonsense.”

Responding to Lithuania’s foreign minister claiming NATO’s Baltic members could destroy Russian air defense bases in the Kaliningrad region if necessary, Putin said: “The Russian Federation has all the means necessary to flatten anyone who attempts to do this.”

Asked about reports that Ukraine could launch drones against Russia from Latvian territory, he warned, “All places from which a direct military threat to Russia emerges are legitimate targets.”

Putin also said Russia would carefully assess any future EU representative proposed for talks with Moscow, amid ongoing discussions in Brussels about appointing a figure to engage with the Kremlin.

Asked about Armenia’s growing ties with the West, Putin warned that closer integration with the EU could force a rollback of Armenia’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union, including the loss of preferential access to its market, low energy prices, simplified trade and migration rules, and Russian investment.

Putin noted that some experts estimate Armenia could lose up to 14% of its GDP in such a scenario, while stressing that the final decision belongs to the Armenian people and reiterating Moscow’s call for an early referendum on the country’s geopolitical course.