- Zelenskyy revealed Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace twice.
- Incidents coincided with his presidential jet’s presence in Moldova.
- One September 9 drone alert delayed his Moldova departure.
- Norwegian PM stated Zelenskyy’s plane was “almost hit.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace twice while he was travelling through the country, including during a journey when his presidential aircraft was at Chisinau airport.
Zelenskyy made the disclosure in an interview with CBS, saying the incidents occurred while he was travelling to and from a foreign trip. He suggested that the presence of his aircraft in Moldova may have been connected to the drone activity, although he did not say the attacks were directly aimed at him.
“In Moldova, my presidential jet was there, and that’s why they attacked Moldova, the airspace of Moldova,” Zelenskyy said. “When we came back home, again through Chisinau, again they did the same.”
Drones Enter Moldovan Airspace
The remarks come days after a drone alert on September 9 temporarily disrupted Zelenskyy’s departure from Moldova for Norway. Moldovan authorities closed the country’s airspace after two Russian drones entered its territory, delaying flights, including the Ukrainian president’s departure.
One of the drones came down in a field north of Chisinau and caused a fire, while the other continued into Romanian airspace. Moldovan authorities later identified fragments consistent with a Geran-type drone, which Russia has used extensively during the war in Ukraine.
Moldovan officials also reported another drone incursion on September 14, when two drones entered the country’s airspace. According to officials, each remained there for about 10 minutes. Zelenskyy had not previously spoken publicly about this second incident involving his transit through Moldova.
It was not immediately clear when exactly Zelenskyy travelled through Chisinau on his return journey from Canada.
Norwegian PM Said Zelenskyy’s Plane Was ‘Almost Hit’
The latest disclosure follows comments by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who said last week that Zelenskyy’s aircraft was “almost hit by a drone” shortly after taking off from Moldova on September 9.
“That is the reality he lives in,” Store told Norwegian media. He did not provide details about how close the drone came to the aircraft or identify who was responsible.
A Ukrainian presidential source subsequently described the suggestion that Zelenskyy was directly at risk as exaggerated, saying the incident involved an alert after a Russian drone entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace.
The reported incidents underline the risks faced by countries bordering Ukraine as Russia’s war continues. Moldova, situated between Ukraine and Romania, has repeatedly experienced drone incursions linked to the conflict.
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