Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plane narrowly avoided a drone impact while departing Moldovan airspace en route to Norway on Tuesday. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed the close call, which occurred as Zelenskyy traveled to Oslo for the state funeral of King Harald V.
The flight carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faced immediate aerial peril during a diplomatic journey from Moldovan territory to Oslo on Tuesday. According to Norwegian officials, the aircraft was targeted or came within immediate danger of an unmanned aerial vehicle just as it prepared to lift off.
Norwegian Leadership Confirms the Drone Near-Miss
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre publicly detailed the incident during an interview with public broadcaster NRK, noting the persistent hazards surrounding the Ukrainian leader’s travel schedule. Støre stated that his plane had almost been struck by a drone as it took off from Moldova, adding that this was the reality he faced and emphasizing the constant danger defining Zelenskyy’s wartime movements.
Additional confirmation came from Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, the former NATO secretary general who participated in discussions with Zelenskyy in Oslo. Stoltenberg told reporters that Zelenskyy briefed attendees on the event during evening meetings hosted in the Norwegian capital. Stoltenberg stated that his departure had been delayed and there had been some threats against the plane, adding that while departures from Ukraine and its immediate neighbors remain fraught with complications, the Ukrainian president prioritized making the journey to honor the late monarch. Stoltenberg also noted that there had been some trouble leaving, but it was never easy to leave Ukraine, and the most important thing was that he had taken the time and made the necessary effort to come to the funeral.
Moldovan Airspace Violations and Border Closures
Bhanuja Rasiah, state secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister of Norway, explained that the airspace threat directly impacted the travel timeline. Rasiah observed that this had caused Zelenskyy’s flight to be delayed on his way to Oslo, noting that these were the kinds of threats he lived with every day and that it was unknown how close the drones were to his plane.
On the ground, the Moldovan Ministry of Defense confirmed that a drone violated national airspace precisely as the presidential aircraft readied for departure. According to the daily war report from the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian military forces attacked logistical installations at the Starokazache checkpoint along the border with Moldavia during the previous night, which Moscow alleged was used for importing weaponry into Ukraine. Concurrently, international media reporting highlighted that drones attacked the border region between Moldavia and Ukraine on Wednesday night.
Diplomatic Engagements and Memorial Proceedings in Oslo
Despite the hazardous departure, Zelenskyy arrived safely in Oslo late Tuesday alongside his wife, Olena Zelenska. His itinerary combined high-level defense talks with solemn state duties. In meetings with Prime Minister Støre, Finance Minister Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, discussions centered on Norwegian military assistance, including support for air defense, and civilian assistance.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian president joined numerous foreign dignitaries to attend the funeral of King Harald V, who passed away on August 28 at the age of 89 following complications from hemolytic anemia and a bacterial blood infection in the blood. In a move that is infrequent for security reasons, Zelenskyy walked directly behind Jonas Gahr Støre during the funeral procession that carried the king’s coffin from the Royal Palace to the Oslo Cathedral.
Upcoming Itinerary and Global Defense Discussions
Prime Minister Støre confirmed to NRK that upon concluding his engagements in Norway and meetings with the Norwegian government and executives of defense companies from allied countries, Zelenskyy left Norway and headed to Canada to hold talks with leaders of that country.
Читайте также
