Key facts
- A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was delayed from taking off from Moldova due to a Russian drone entering the country's airspace.
- The drone prompted an immediate closure of Moldova's airspace, delaying Zelensky's flight to Oslo by about an hour.
- Moldovan authorities confirmed the drone had come down approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chisinau International Airport.
- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed the incident, stating Zelensky's flight was "almost hit" by a drone.
- A source told Agence France Presse that the risk from the drone incursion had been "exaggerated."
A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was delayed from taking off from Moldova on Wednesday due to a Russian drone entering the country's airspace. The incident prompted Moldovan authorities to close the airspace, causing Zelensky's jet to remain on the runway for approximately an hour before it was cleared for departure.
Moldovan government spokesman Dumitru Ciorici told the BBC that the airspace closure occurred after a Russian drone was detected entering from Ukraine. Authorities confirmed the drone had come down about 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from Chisinau International Airport. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed the incident, stating that Zelensky's flight was "almost hit" by a drone. However, a source told Agence France Presse that the risk had been "exaggerated."
Zelensky and his wife Olena arrived safely in Oslo on Tuesday evening for the funeral of Norway's King Harald V, where he held talks with Støre regarding military aid. The report also noted that Kyiv has experienced an average of ten air raid alerts daily, and Ukraine announced a "record hit" on Russian gas plants with drones flying over 3,000 kilometers into Russia.