Kumar Bahukhandi
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to Oslo. His flight from Moldova was delayed following a reported drone threat in the airspace while he was travelling to Norway. Photo: AFP
Ukrainian President’s flight from Moldova was delayed amid a drone threat; authorities have not established how close the drones came to the aircraft
Key Highlights
- Zelenskyy’s flight to Oslo was delayed after a drone threat was reported in Moldovan airspace.
- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the Ukrainian President’s plane was “almost hit by a drone”.
- A Norwegian State Secretary offered a more cautious account, saying it was uncertain how close the drones came to the aircraft.
- Ukrainian authorities had not publicly confirmed a near-collision.
- Zelenskyy reached Oslo safely and attended the funeral of King Harald V.
- The episode occurred against the backdrop of continuing Russian attacks on Ukraine and Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian targets.
Oslo: A flight carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Norway faced a drone threat while departing Moldova, delaying his journey to Oslo, Norwegian officials have said. While Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre initially described the danger in stark terms, another senior Norwegian official said it remained uncertain how close the drones actually came to Zelenskyy’s aircraft.
Zelenskyy was travelling to Oslo to attend the funeral of King Harald V when the incident occurred. He subsequently reached the Norwegian capital safely.
Speaking to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, Støre referred to the episode while describing the security risks confronting the Ukrainian President.
“His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was taking off from Moldova. That is the reality he is facing,” Støre said.
However, the precise circumstances surrounding the incident remained unclear, and Ukrainian authorities had not publicly confirmed that Zelenskyy’s aircraft itself had narrowly escaped a collision.
Drone Threat Delayed Flight
Bhanuja Rasiah, State Secretary at the Norwegian Prime Minister’s Office, provided a more cautious account, saying there had been a drone threat in Moldovan airspace that affected Zelenskyy’s journey.
“There was a drone threat in the airspace over Moldova yesterday, which delayed Zelenskyy’s flight on its way to Oslo,” Rasiah told NRK, adding that it was uncertain how close the drones had come to the aircraft.
Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg also said Zelenskyy had discussed difficulties surrounding his departure when they met after his arrival in Oslo.
Stoltenberg said there had been threats involving the aircraft and that the Ukrainian President had been delayed, but declined to offer details because he did not have sufficient information about the episode.
The differing descriptions are significant: while Støre spoke of the plane being “almost hit”, Rasiah’s account establishes a drone threat in the airspace but does not confirm a near-collision. Until further details emerge from Ukrainian or Moldovan authorities, the exact proximity of any drone to the presidential aircraft remains uncertain.
Despite the disruption, Zelenskyy attended the funeral and paid tribute to King Harald V, recalling Norway’s support for Ukraine and expressing gratitude to the Norwegian government, Royal Family and people.
The visit came as the Russia-Ukraine war continued to produce fresh military escalation. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had carried out long-range strikes against Russian targets, including facilities in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, while Russian drone and missile attacks continued to hit Ukrainian cities.
He also reported casualties following Russian attacks in Sumy, Kyiv and Mykolaiv and renewed his appeal for international partners to intensify efforts towards de-escalation and an end to the fighting.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine remained engaged with the United States and European partners on diplomatic efforts aimed at reviving negotiations. His comments followed discussions involving US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has said it welcomes US President Donald Trump’s efforts to pursue a negotiated settlement. Continued strikes by both sides, however, underline the considerable distance that remains between diplomatic efforts and a durable end to the war.
