A Russian drone entered Moldova’s airspace, delaying the departure of the aircraft carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Norway, Moldovan authorities confirmed.
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Immediately after the drone was detected, Moldova temporarily closed its airspace. Zelensky’s aircraft, which was at Chisinau International Airport, was allowed to take off only after officials confirmed that the drone had been downed. The Associated Press reported that the aircraft came down about 160 kilometers from the airport.
Moldova’s ambassador to the United States, Vladislav Kulminski, told CNN that the incident may not have been accidental. According to him, authorities do not believe that propeller-driven drones cross Moldovan territory merely for surveillance, precisely when the Ukrainian president’s aircraft is at the airport.
Asked whether Zelensky may have been the drone’s target, Kulminski said the investigation was ongoing and that it was still too early to draw a conclusion. The ambassador also stressed that the Ukrainian president regularly uses Moldovan airspace when traveling abroad.
The incident was first made public by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. At the same time, Moldovan authorities also reported that a second drone had entered the country’s airspace and later continued flying toward Romania.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian drones have repeatedly entered the airspace of Moldova and Romania. Moldovan President Maia Sandu has condemned these incidents, describing the airspace violations as “a serious threat to people’s lives.”
After completing his visit to Norway, Zelensky traveled to Canada, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Ukrainian president and his wife, Olena Zelenska, will remain in Canada until Friday. So far, the Kremlin has not commented on the incident.
