Drone near-miss reported on Zelenskyy's flight to Oslo
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said a drone nearly struck the aircraft carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as it departed Moldova. Zelenskyy was traveling to Oslo for the funeral of King Harald V. While in Norway, he also discussed a European anti-ballistic missile program with officials.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told public broadcaster NRK that a drone nearly struck the presidential aircraft as it left Moldovan airspace, though he did not specify his source or the drone's distance. The flight was heading to Oslo for King Harald V's funeral.
In Oslo, Zelenskyy and Store met with defence industry executives to discuss the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile program, focusing on dividing tasks between governments and firms. Concurrently, Ukrainian officials said Russian attacks on Wednesday killed at least eight people, including strikes near the Moldova border and in the southeast.
This near-miss could heighten concerns about the safety of high-profile leaders traveling near conflict zones, potentially prompting stricter security protocols for international flights. It may also reinforce perceptions of the ongoing threat posed by drones to civilian and diplomatic aviation. Furthermore, the timing of the incident alongside the FREYJA discussions could underscore the urgency of European air defense cooperation, possibly influencing public and political support for accelerated missile defense funding across the continent.