Thursday, September 10, 2026 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plane was reportedly placed in danger by a drone while preparing to take off from Moldova for Norway, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.
The incident occurred Tuesday as Moldovan authorities temporarily closed their airspace following a drone alert, delaying Zelenskyy’s departure. Støre said the aircraft “almost” collided with the drone, although he did not disclose how close it came or provide details on how the threat was identified.
Moldovan officials confirmed that drones had entered the country’s airspace, with one crashing in northern Moldova after an incursion that also involved Romanian airspace.
Authorities said Zelenskyy’s aircraft was cleared to depart after the threat had passed. No injuries were reported, but the episode immediately raised fresh concerns about the growing risk drones pose to civilian aviation across Eastern Europe.
The incident is significant because it brings the expanding drone threat dangerously close to senior political leaders and international air routes. Zelenskyy later arrived safely in Oslo, where he met Støre and discussed air defense and European efforts to strengthen protection of the continent’s skies.
While there is no confirmed evidence that the drone was deliberately targeting Zelenskyy’s aircraft, the near-miss underscores how quickly the war’s aerial risks can spill beyond Ukraine’s borders.
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