Russian drone enters Moldova’s airspace, flights suspended and Zelensky’s plane delayed

Moldova’s airspace was temporarily closed on Tuesday after a Russian drone entered the country’s air territory. The incident also caused a delay in the departure of the plane on which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was traveling to Norway.

The presidential plane was at Chișinău International Airport and received permission to take off only after authorities confirmed that the drone had crashed. According to reported data, the explosion occurred about 160 kilometers from the airport.

Moldova’s ambassador to the US, Vladislav Kulminski, raised suspicions that the drone’s entry may not have been accidental. He said that Moldovan authorities do not believe that a flying device with a jet engine would enter the country simply for a surveillance mission while the plane of the Ukrainian president was on the ground.

When asked if Zelensky could have been a possible target, Kulminski replied that the investigation is not complete and that a conclusion cannot yet be drawn. However, he noted that it is known that the Ukrainian president passes through Moldovan airspace during his travels outside Ukraine.

The news of the incident was made known by Norwegian Prime Minister Gahr Støre. He stated that Zelensky’s plane “was almost hit by a drone” as it was preparing to leave Moldova.

Moldovan authorities also reported another drone that passed through the country’s airspace and continued toward Romania. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian drones have penetrated the airspaces of Moldova and Romania several times.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned these incursions, describing them as a great danger to people’s lives. She also reacted against a Russian drone attack on a border point with Ukraine, where two people lost their lives.

After the incident, Zelensky was able to travel to Norway, where he attended the funeral ceremony of King Harald V together with other world leaders.

Following the visit, the Ukrainian president departed for Canada. There he is expected to meet with the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney and deliver a speech before the Canadian cabinet. Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska, will stay in Canada until Friday.