On Tuesday, a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy narrowly avoided a collision with a drone while preparing for departure from Moldova. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre informed the public broadcaster NRK that the aircraft was nearly struck during its takeoff sequence at Chisinau International Airport.
The drone that nearly struck Zelenskyy in Moldova
The incident unfolded as Chisinau International Airport was forced to suspend all arrivals and departures due to sudden Russian drone activity.. As reported by Reuters,officials only cleared Zelenskyy's aircraft for takeoff after determining that a Russian drone had landed on Moldovan territory ,which had previously caused a fire in a field north of the capital.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the danger of the situation, noting that the near-miss is a direct reflection of the "reality" the Ukrainian leader faces even while traveling abroad for diplomatic purposes.
Two Russian drones force Chisinau airport to suspend flights
The disruption at Chisinau International Airport was triggered by two separate Russian drone incursions. One Shahed drone, as noted by the Institute for the Study of War, spent approximately one hour navigating through both Moldovan and Romanian airspace before eventually crashing. This specific drone's flight path caused significant alarm for regional aviation authorities and prompted immediate security responses.
A second drone involved in the incident crossed into Romanian airspace, further complicating the security situation for NATO allies in the region. These incursions highlight the increasing volatility of airspace in Eastern Europe, where Russian-made drones are frequently detected near sovereign borders, forcing major airports to halt operations to ensure safety.
Zelenskyy's arrival in Oslo for the Norwegian king's funeral
Following the close call in Moldova, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived safely in Oslo on Tuesday evening. his visit to Norway was primarily to attend the state funeral of the Norwegian king, but the trip also served a critical diplomatic purpose regarding Ukraine's ongoing defense needs.
During his time in Oslo, Zelenskyy engaged in high-level discussions with Norwegian officials, including Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg. According to the report, these meetings focused on securing essential military aid, specifically targeting air defense support and civilian assistance to bolster Ukraine's resilience against ongoing aerial threats.
The unverified distance of the drone from the aircraft
Several critical details regarding the near-miss remain unconfirmed by official sources. While Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre highlighted the incident, he did not provide a specific distance or a detailed description of the drone's trajectory relative to the Ukrainian President's plane.
It is also currently unverified whether the drone that nearly hit the aircraft was one of the two Shahed drones that caused the airport suspension or a third, unidentified drone. Furthermore, the report does not state whether the drone's proximity to the aircrft was a calculated attempt to target the Ukrainian leader or a byproduct of the general drone incursions in the Chisinau area.
Russia's Shahed drones and the probing of NATO defenses
This event is part of an escalating trend of Russian drone operations designed to probe the defenses of NATO member states. The Institute for the Study of War has noted that these incursions are part of a wider pattern of testing the readiness of European air defense systems through repeated airspace violations.
There are growing concerns that Russia is utilizing a "shadow fleet" of drones to conduct these probes. This follows previous incidents, such as those reported in Germany, where explosive-laden drones were discovered near Ukrainian cargo planes at a major airport, signaling a persistent and evolving threat to both civilian and military aviation in Europe.
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