Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store stated that a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was nearly struck by a drone while departing from Moldova on Tuesday. The incident occurred as Zelenskyy was traveling to Oslo, Norway, to attend the state funeral of the late King Harald V.
Speaking to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, Store emphasized the persistent dangers facing the Ukrainian leader. “His flight was almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova. That is the reality he lives in,” Store said. He noted that Zelenskyy has since left Norway for Canada, where he is scheduled to meet with leaders in Ottawa.
Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo on Tuesday evening and subsequently held discussions with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg. The talks focused on continued military support, including air-defense systems, as well as civilian aid for Ukraine. On Wednesday, the Ukrainian president joined other international dignitaries at King Harald’s funeral.
Neither Zelenskyy nor Ukrainian authorities have officially confirmed the specific details of the alleged drone incident. However, a source within the Ukrainian presidency provided a different perspective to AFP, describing the situation as more routine. The source confirmed that an alert was raised in Moldova when a Russian drone entered both Moldovan and Romanian airspace but characterized claims that Zelenskyy’s life was in immediate danger as “exaggerated.”
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that a Russian drone operated in the region for approximately one hour on Tuesday. According to ISW, defense ministries in both Moldova and Romania observed a Shahed drone enter Moldovan airspace from the direction of Ukraine, fly over Romania, and then return to Moldova, where it ultimately crashed. It remains unclear whether the drone documented by the think tank is the same one referenced by the Norwegian prime minister.
Is this the same Shahed drone the ISW tracked? Interesting how timelines match up but details remain vague.
Kyiv calling it routine is classic info-warfare. Why downplay the danger when the world needs to see Zelenskyy’s vulnerability?
Sounds terrifying for the President. Even if exaggerated, that proximity to a drone is a serious security breach near the border.