Zelenskyy plane ‘nearly hit’ by drone during take-off

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plane was reportedly placed in danger by a drone as the Ukrainian president departed Moldova for Norway, forcing his flight to be delayed. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the incident offered a stark glimpse of the threats surrounding Ukraine’s president even when travelling abroad.

Drone threat triggers frantic departure delay

Støre told NRK that Zelenskyy’s aircraft was “almost hit by a drone” during take-off from Moldova. His office later clarified that an aerial threat had been detected in Moldovan airspace, prompting a delay to the flight.

Moldova’s Defence Ministry confirmed its airspace was violated at the time Zelenskyy was departing. The security alert was serious enough to trigger a temporary closure of the Starokozache border crossing.

Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg also referred to the incident, saying Zelenskyy had personally described the difficult journey during meetings in Oslo.

Zelenskyy arrives as air defences take centre stage

Despite the disruption, Zelenskyy reached Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V and hold talks with Norwegian officials. Strengthening Ukraine’s increasingly critical air defences was among the central issues on the agenda.

The discussions included the joint Freya air-defence project, which aims to offer a cheaper and more effective alternative to Patriot systems. Støre said Norway’s defence industry was working on solutions that could help Ukraine produce systems itself and close gaps in its air-defence network.

Oslo doubles down on support for Kyiv

Norway continues to position itself as a major supporter of Ukraine, arguing that backing Kyiv is an investment in wider European security. Oslo has also announced a major support package for Ukraine for 2027, expected to be comparable in scale with this year’s assistance.

The reported incident adds urgency to those efforts. For Kyiv, the threat is no longer confined to the frontline: even the Ukrainian president’s movements through neighbouring countries can become a security challenge in an increasingly contested airspace.

Norway reveals details of incident involving Zelenskyy's plane