Drone Incursion Threatens Zelenskyy’s Flight From Moldova

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Norway was reportedly almost struck by a drone while preparing to depart Moldova, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Støre said the incident illustrated the danger Zelenskyy faces amid Russia’s war against Ukraine, although he did not specify how close the drone came to the aircraft. A Moldovan government spokesperson later said that two Russian drones were involved. Zelenskyy’s departure was delayed after Moldovan authorities temporarily closed the country’s airspace. Officials reportedly cleared the aircraft for takeoff after determining that one drone had crashed on Moldovan territory. The drone landed in a field north of Moldova’s capital and caused a fire, while the second drone continued into Romanian airspace. The incursions also disrupted commercial aviation. Chișinău International Airport temporarily suspended arrivals and departures, leaving some incoming flights in holding patterns or diverting them to neighboring countries. Moldovan President Maia Sandu called the incident a serious threat to human life and separately condemned a Russian drone strike on a border crossing with Ukraine that reportedly killed two people. Zelenskyy eventually arrived in Oslo and met with Norwegian officials to discuss military assistance, including air-defense support, as well as civilian aid. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that a Russian Shahed drone traveled through Moldovan and Romanian airspace for approximately an hour before crashing in Moldova. The incident highlights Moldova’s vulnerability to spillover from the war and the broader security risks posed by repeated Russian drone and missile incursions into neighboring countries.

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Norway for the state funeral of King Harald V was nearly struck by a drone while preparing to depart Moldova on Tuesday, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Støre said the incident illustrated the danger Zelensky continues to face, although he did not say how close the drone came to the aircraft. A Moldovan government spokesperson later said that two Russian drones were involved. Zelensky’s departure was delayed after Moldovan authorities temporarily closed the country’s airspace. His plane was eventually cleared to take off after officials determined that one of the drones had crashed in Moldova. The second drone continued into Romanian airspace. One drone landed in a field north of Moldova’s capital, Chișinău, and started a fire. The incursions disrupted operations at Chișinău International Airport, forcing authorities to suspend arrivals and departures temporarily. Some aircraft were placed in holding patterns, while others were diverted to neighboring countries. Moldovan President Maia Sandu described the drone activity as a serious threat to civilian lives. She also condemned a separate Russian drone attack on a border crossing with Ukraine that reportedly killed two people. Despite the disruption, Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived safely in Oslo on Tuesday evening. Zelensky met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg to discuss military assistance, including air-defense support and aid for civilians. The Institute for the Study of War separately reported that a Russian Shahed drone crossed Moldovan and Romanian airspace for approximately an hour before crashing in Moldova.

The Washington Post reports that a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was nearly struck by a drone while he was traveling through Moldova earlier this week. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store disclosed the incident to Norway’s public broadcaster, NRK, on Wednesday. According to Store, Zelensky was traveling from Chisinau International Airport to Oslo on Tuesday to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V. The reported drone threat caused a delay to Zelensky’s flight connection from Moldova, although the article does not state how long the delay lasted or provide details about the drone’s origin, operator, or intended target. Zelensky ultimately attended the king’s funeral in Oslo on Wednesday. The report presents the incident as a security threat affecting a wartime head of state during international travel, but it offers limited information about the circumstances or consequences. It does not report injuries, damage to the aircraft, an interception, or any confirmed attribution for the drone. The information comes primarily from Store’s remarks to NRK rather than from an independent account by Moldovan or Ukrainian authorities. The brief article therefore focuses on the alleged near-miss and the resulting travel disruption, while leaving important operational and investigative details unresolved.