RismadarVoice Reporters
September 10, 2026
The departure of a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy from Moldova to Norway was delayed after authorities temporarily closed the country’s airspace following a drone alert, Moldovan officials have said.
The aircraft was cleared for take-off after authorities confirmed that a Russian drone had come down on Moldovan territory, according to a statement from a Moldovan government spokesperson. The airspace closure affected three departures and four arrivals.
Moldovan officials said two Russian drones had entered the country’s airspace. One crashed in a field north of the capital, causing a fire, while the second continued into Romanian airspace.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere later said Zelenskiy’s plane was “almost hit by a drone” as it prepared to leave Moldova, although he did not provide details on how close the drone came to the aircraft.
Zelenskiy was travelling to Oslo to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V. The Ukrainian president later arrived safely after the security-related delay.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the drone incursions, describing them as a serious threat to civilian safety, amid growing concerns over the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on neighbouring countries and regional air security.
