Zelenskyy’s Plane Nearly Hit by Drone

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s aircraft was nearly hit by a drone while taking off from Moldova, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has said.

Store made the disclosure while speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Wednesday, following Zelenskyy’s arrival in Oslo. The Ukrainian leader travelled from Moldova to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V.

“His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was taking off from Moldova. That is the reality he is facing,” Store said.

The Norwegian prime minister said the incident reflected the security challenges surrounding Zelenskyy’s international movements as Ukraine continues its war against Russia.

Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who attended a meeting with Zelenskyy, also confirmed that the Ukrainian president spoke about difficulties during his departure from Moldova.

“He told us about it last night when we had a meeting with him. I don’t dare go into the details about it, but he was delayed, and there were some threats against the plane,” Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg previously served as NATO secretary-general when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.