Video: Russia Conducting Potentially Lethal Strikes 200 Meters From NATO Country

Viral footage from the Romanian side of the Danube River, in some cases a mere 200 meters from the recorded explosions, shows Russian suicide drones attacking critical Ukrainian grain and exportation infrastructure.

For centuries, the Danube has been one of Europe's most crucial trading waterways. From the inland ports at Reni and Izmail, commerce from Ukraine can flow fairly smoothly all the way to Southern Germany.

Russia's decision to terminate the Ukrainian grain deal, which brought the equivalent of 18 billion loaves of bread from Ukraine to the world market, threatens food security and global prices. With the de-facto blockade of Black Sea ports like Odesa, Ukraine only has one shipping route to export grain.

Now the country colloquially known as the breadbasket of Europe is working to repair the port facilities at both Reni and Izmail following their damage at Russian hands. While the strikes reportedly did not cause any casualties, their impact on the global economy and food security in developing nations is undeniable.

As is the apparent reality that Russia is less worried about antagonizing NATO. (RELATED: Putin's Shadowy Security Unit Targets Americans)

Breitbart's Oliver JJ Lane explains:

The willingness to strike at targets like this so close to NATO's eastern flank shows Russia is becoming less risk averse, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence says. In one of their frequent intelligence digests, the MOD relates that in the past fortnight “Russia has conducted several waves of strikes against Ukrainian ports on the Danube River” using Iranian drones in an attempt to scare off foreign ships from doing business at Ukrainian ports.

These drones have “struck targets as close as 200 metres from the Romanian border, suggesting that Russia has evolved its risk appetite for conducting strikes near NATO territory”. Nevertheless, there is still an element of balancing risk for the Russians, the UK MOD claims, stating it is likely they are using drones for these very-close-to-NATO attacks because Moscow believes they are less likely to cause an escalation with the West than cruise missile strikes on the border.

Last month, strikes against the NATO-adjacent port of Reni destroyed grain storehouses and storage tanks with a wave of 18 drones, just three of which were said to have been shot down. It was reported at the time that Romanian soldiers stationed on their side of the river were able to watch the attack take place and record social media video, witnessing blasts and hearing the drones' engines.

While Russia's pressure on Ukraine's export infrastructure appears intent on damaging the Ukrainian economy, it potentially has serious repercussions for Europe, too. Much Ukrainian grain exports are not to Europe, but to the developing world including Africa and the near east, and it has been suggested an increase of hunger will be a driver of mass migration north.

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