Zelenskyy’s Plane ‘Almost Hit’ By Russian Drone While Leaving Moldova
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A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Oslo was reportedly almost hit by a Russian drone, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on Wednesday, as the Ukrainian leader travelled to Norway amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Zelenskyy arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday evening to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V. Speaking to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, Støre said the drone came close to the aircraft as it was preparing to take off from Moldova.
“His flight was almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova,” Støre said, adding that the incident reflected the security threats Zelenskyy faces.
Moldova Confirms Russian Drone Incident
Støre did not disclose the source of his information or provide details on how close the drone came to Zelenskyy’s aircraft.
Later on Wednesday, a Moldovan government spokesperson confirmed that the incident took place on Tuesday before the aircraft’s departure and said the drone involved was Russian.
According to the spokesperson, Moldova temporarily closed its airspace after receiving a drone alert, delaying Zelenskyy’s departure. The Ukrainian president’s aircraft was cleared to take off after authorities determined that the drone had crashed on Moldovan territory.
Zelenskyy Discusses European Air Defence System
During his visit to Oslo, Zelenskyy held talks with Støre and met defence industry executives to discuss the development of a European anti-ballistic system codenamed FREYJA.
Zelenskyy said the discussions focused on dividing responsibilities between governments and defence companies and setting out steps to deliver the programme’s first practical results.
“We expect to see the first practical results. I am grateful to Norway for hosting this meeting,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
He also thanked Norway and its partners for their willingness to work together, saying that protecting Europe’s skies was a shared responsibility.
Eight Killed In Russian Attacks
The reported drone incident came as fighting continued across Ukraine.
Ukrainian regional officials said at least eight people were killed in Russian attacks on Wednesday. The reported deaths included people in areas along the Ukraine-Moldova border and in southeastern Ukraine.
The developments underline the continuing security concerns surrounding Ukraine and its leadership more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
