Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has said that the Ukrainian government plane carrying President President Volodymyr Zelensky nearly struck an unidentified drone on Wednesday.
Zelensky is in Oslo where he held talks with Store, chiefly focused on Norwegian assistance in the fight against Russia, and specifically about advancing a European anti-ballistic system. Zelensky also attended King Harald V of Norway's funeral, for which heads of state from around the world were present.
But the Norwegian PM describes that immediately after departing Eastern Europe, Zelensky's "flight was almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova."
He was further quoted in Norwegian public broadcaster NRK on Wednesday as saying, "That is the reality he lives in" - in reference to the Ukrainian leader.
The report comes amid a surge of recent suspected 'Russian drone threat' incidents, including at airports in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
Ukrainian national media alleges some further details as follows:
A suspected Russian Shahed-type drone that violated Moldovan and Romanian airspace on Sept. 8 nearly hit President Volodymyr Zelensky's plane as it was departing from Moldova, a source told the Kyiv Independent on Sept. 9.
Zelensky was traveling to Norway to meet Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store ahead of the funeral of King Harald V at the time of the incident. The president's plane took off from Moldova, where the drone incursion occurred.
Moldova's Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 8 that a Shahed-type drone had invaded the country's airspace at around 4:20 p.m. local time. It was monitored by the Moldovan military until the drone crossed into Romanian airspace at around 4:37 p.m.
The Associated Press and CBS have since picked up the story, not offering anything further in terms of details.
These reports additionally say that NATO jets were scrambled as a precaution, but no other details have emerged in terms of where the UAV ended up, or drone recovery. There's as yet no confirmation that it was sent by Russia, or the true nature or extent of the threat.
Pending more possible details, story seems vague and the Norwegian prime minister seemed to reference it almost in passing. Zelensky has of late been pressing for more urgent anti-air munitions, as Russia targets cities - including the capital - with more and more ballistic missiles and drones.
In this context, he has presented his and Ukraine's plight as one of existential survival, also as peace talks have remained elusive amid constant escalation.