A drone came "almost" within striking distance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plane as it was preparing to depart from Moldova for Norway on Tuesday, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Zelenskyy was traveling to Norway to attend the Norwegian king's state funeral. Støre informed public broadcaster NRK about the incident on Wednesday, the day after Zelenskyy's aircraft arrived safely in Oslo. "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 stated, without elaborating on the proximity of the drone.
A Moldovan government spokesperson later confirmed that two Russian drones were involved. The incident led to the temporary closure of Moldova's airspace, delaying Zelenskyy's departure. The airspace was cleared for takeoff only after officials determined that one drone had landed on Moldovan territory.
According to reports, one drone crashed in a field north of Moldova's capital, Chișinău, sparking a fire, while the other entered Romanian airspace. The incursions caused Chișinău International Airport to suspend arrivals and departures, rerouting or holding incoming flights.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the drone incursions as a "serious threat to people’s lives." She also denounced a separate Russian drone strike on a border crossing with Ukraine that resulted in two fatalities.
The Institute for the Study of War also reported that a Russian Shahed drone transited through Moldovan and Romanian airspace for approximately an hour before crashing in Moldova.
Zelenskyy proceeded with his visit to Oslo, where he met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Discussions focused on military aid, particularly air defense systems, and civilian assistance for Ukraine.