Conflicting Accounts of Drone Threat to Zelenskyy’s Flight

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Oslo was reportedly placed at risk by a drone while departing Moldova, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Store said Zelenskyy’s flight was “almost hit by a drone,” describing the incident as part of the dangers the Ukrainian president faces. He did not provide further details. A source in the Ukrainian presidency gave a more measured account, saying there had been an alert after a Russian drone entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace. The source characterized the claim that Zelenskyy was personally at risk as exaggerated. The differing descriptions leave the precise nature and severity of the incident unclear. Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo Tuesday evening and met with Store, Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. Their discussions focused on Norwegian military assistance to Ukraine, including air-defense support, as well as civilian aid. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy attended the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V, who the article says died August 28 at age 89. He joined foreign dignitaries including Britain’s Prince William, Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino, and political leaders from more than 20 countries. Store said Zelenskyy departed Norway after the funeral for Canada, where he was scheduled to meet with Canadian leaders. The article was reported by CBS News, with additional material from Agence France-Presse and The Associated Press.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was nearly struck by a drone while taking off from Moldova on Tuesday. Zelenskyy was traveling to Oslo to attend the funeral of Norway’s recently deceased King Harald V. Store described the incident as part of the ongoing danger surrounding the Ukrainian president, saying, “That is the reality he lives in.” He did not provide further details and said Zelenskyy had subsequently left Norway for Canada to meet leaders in Ottawa. Moldovan authorities later confirmed that Zelenskyy’s flight was delayed after the country temporarily closed its airspace because of a drone alert. A government spokesperson said the aircraft departed after a Russian drone fell on Moldovan territory. However, neither Ukrainian authorities nor Zelenskyy commented on the incident, and one source characterized claims that the president had been in direct danger as exaggerated. The article places the reported incident within broader regional drone activity. The Institute for the Study of War said a Russian-made Shahed drone entered Moldovan airspace from Ukraine, crossed into Romanian airspace, and later returned to Moldova, where it crashed. It remains unclear whether this was the same drone referenced by Store and the Moldovan government. Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo on Tuesday evening and met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Their discussions covered military assistance, including air-defense support, and civilian aid. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy joined other international leaders at King Harald V’s funeral before traveling onward to Canada.

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Oslo was nearly hit by a drone during takeoff, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Store disclosed the incident to Norway’s public broadcaster NRK but provided no further details about the drone, its origin, or whether any damage occurred. He said the incident illustrated the dangers surrounding Zelenskyy’s wartime travel and described the Ukrainian president’s situation as highly dramatic. Store also said Zelenskyy had spent the previous night receiving updates about missile strikes in Ukraine. Zelenskyy traveled to Oslo to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V and met with Store, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. Their discussions focused on Norway’s military and civilian support for Ukraine, particularly assistance with air-defense systems. According to Store, Norway and industry partners were still assessing whether they could provide additional air-defense equipment or help Ukraine develop the capacity to manufacture such systems domestically. His comment that Ukraine has “holes in the roof” highlighted the country’s continuing vulnerability to Russian missile and drone attacks. After the funeral, Zelenskyy left Norway for Canada to hold talks with Canadian leaders. Store did not disclose the outcome of those discussions. The report places the alleged drone incident within the broader context of Ukraine’s ongoing war, Zelenskyy’s diplomatic efforts to secure military assistance, and the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

Ukraine and Moldova have sought to clarify and reduce the seriousness of Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store’s claim that a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was nearly struck by a drone while traveling to Oslo. Store told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that Zelensky’s aircraft was “almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova.” A source in the Ukrainian presidency rejected the suggestion that Zelensky had been directly endangered, describing the claim as “exaggerated.” According to the source, an alert was issued after a Russian drone entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace. The account suggests that the incident prompted aviation authorities to take precautions, but did not necessarily place the presidential aircraft in immediate danger. Moldovan government spokesman Dumitru Ciorici provided further details about the response. He said Moldova closed its airspace on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after 4:30pm local time, after a Russian drone entered from the direction of Ukraine. The closure was intended to protect aircraft operating in Moldovan airspace, rather than being presented as a narrowly targeted measure concerning Zelensky’s flight. Ciorici said the closure delayed three departures and four arrivals. The article does not report any damage, injuries, or direct contact between the drone and Zelensky’s aircraft. Instead, it highlights differing descriptions of the same incident: Norway’s prime minister characterized the flight as having narrowly avoided a drone, while Ukrainian and Moldovan officials emphasized an airspace alert and a precautionary closure. The episode occurred amid continuing regional security risks linked to Russian drone activity and the war in Ukraine.