Drone Incident Brings New Concerns for Zelenskyy

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Norway narrowly avoided a dangerous encounter with a drone as it was preparing to take off from Moldova. This alarming event was reported by Reuters, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre relaying the occurrence to the public broadcaster NRK.

According to Prime Minister Støre, Zelenskyy’s aircraft was nearly struck by a drone while it was about to depart from Moldova, a grim reminder of the challenges facing the Ukrainian leader. However, exact details regarding the proximity of the drone to the plane remain unclear.

Later in the day, a spokesperson for the Moldovan government revealed further details, stating that two Russian drones were involved in the incident. As a result, Zelenskyy’s departure to Oslo was postponed when Moldovan officials closed the country’s airspace. Once authorities confirmed that a Russian drone had landed within Moldovan territory, the airspace was reopened for the Ukrainian president’s flight.

The delay occurred on Tuesday as one drone landed north of the capital city, igniting a fire, while another intruded into Romanian airspace. These incursions led to a temporary suspension of operations at Chișinău International Airport, causing incoming flights to either hold or reroute to nearby countries based on tracking data.

Moldova has been experiencing numerous airspace violations since the conflict began in February 2022. This includes numerous incidents of Russian missiles and drones crashing onto Moldovan soil.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the drone incursions, labeling them a ‘serious threat to people’s lives.’ Additionally, she denounced another Russian drone attack on a border crossing with Ukraine, which tragically resulted in the loss of two lives.

Upon safely arriving in Oslo on Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy engaged in discussions regarding military aid and civilian support with Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

Moreover, the Institute for the Study of War noted that a Russian Shahed drone traversed both Moldovan and Romanian airspace for about an hour before crashing in Moldova. This incident contributes to the ongoing tensions in the region.