Moldovan Airspace Closure Delayed Zelensky Flight Following Drone Intrusion
Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have downplayed assertions by Norway’s prime minister that a plane carrying President Volodymyr Zelensky was nearly struck by a Russian drone while departing Chisinau on Tuesday afternoon. European diplomatic delegations and commercial aviation operators faced temporary scheduling disruptions across regional airspace after defense authorities suspended flights to isolate the incoming aerial threat.
Russian Drone Exploded 100 Miles From Chisinau Airport Following Temporary Flight Groundings
Moldovan authorities halted three departures and four arrivals at Chisinau International Airport after closing national airspace at 4:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday when a Russian drone crossed over from Ukraine into Moldovan and Romanian airspace. Government spokesman Dumitru Ciorici confirmed flight restrictions were lifted after 5:20 p.m. when the drone crashed and exploded approximately 160 kilometres from the airport, allowing Zelensky’s delayed aircraft to take off for Oslo. A source in the Ukrainian presidency described claims that Zelensky was personally targeted or at risk as exaggerated, characterising the event as a standard security precaution.
Zelensky arrived in Norway on Tuesday evening for military aid discussions with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide before attending the funeral of King Harald V and departing for talks in Canada.
