Zelenskyy’s Plane Nearly Hit by Drone While Leaving Moldova, Norwegian PM Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plane was nearly struck by a drone as it was preparing to take off from Moldova for Norway, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has said.

“His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was about to take off from Moldova. That is the reality he is facing,” Støre told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

Støre was describing the security threats facing the Ukrainian president as he travelled to Oslo to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V.

Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo from Moldova on Tuesday evening. Støre met the Ukrainian leader during his visit, with talks focusing in part on Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.

The Norwegian prime minister also recalled asking Zelenskyy how he had slept overnight. According to Støre, the Ukrainian president said he had not slept well because he had been on the phone receiving updates about where Russian missiles had struck Ukraine.

The drone incident occurred amid wider security concerns in Moldovan airspace. Flights at Chișinău airport were temporarily suspended on Tuesday after two Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace. One came down in a field and caused a fire, while another continued into Romanian airspace.

Støre did not disclose the source of his information about the incident or specify how close the drone came to Zelenskyy’s aircraft. Moldovan officials did not immediately comment on his account.

Zelenskyy attended King Harald V’s funeral in Oslo on Wednesday alongside other foreign leaders and members of European royal families.