The aeroplane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nearly collided with a drone on 8 September whilst taking off from Moldova, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre has stated. He did not provide any details about the drone or its proximity to the aircraft. On the same day, Moldova detected a Shahed drone and partially restricted its airspace, although a link between the two incidents has not been confirmed.
Briefly about the main points
- Støre reported a dangerous close encounter between Zelenskyy’s plane and a drone.
- His words do not suggest that this was a targeted attack.
- On 8 September, Moldova detected a Shahed and restricted its airspace.
- The crash of a drone caused four separate fires, with no casualties.
- Zelenskyy arrived safely in Oslo and held talks with Støre.
Støre did not specify the circumstances of the close call
The Norwegian Prime Minister spoke to broadcaster NRK about the incident, and Reuters confirmed that Støre made the following statement. According to him, the Ukrainian president’s aircraft was «almost hit by a drone» whilst preparing for take-off from Moldova.
This wording describes a dangerous close encounter or a possible collision with a drone, but does not imply that the drone was deliberately attempting to shoot down the presidential aircraft. Støre did not disclose where he had obtained the information, what type of drone it was, who owned it, or how close it had come to the aircraft. Reuters did not provide any separate confirmation from either the Ukrainian or Moldovan sides.
Shahed violated Moldova’s airspace that day
According to the Moldovan Ministry of Defence, at 16:20, a drone of the type Shahed entered the country’s airspace from the direction of Ukraine. It was travelling through the Bender region towards the centre of the country, prompting the authorities to temporarily restrict use of that sector of airspace.
The aircraft remained over Moldova for approximately 17 minutes, flew off in the direction of Romania, then returned from the direction of Iași and headed north. Zelensky He left Moldova in the evening, so the coincidence in timing suggests a possible link between the events, but does not prove that it was the same drone.
Debris from a drone was found in the north of the country
At 17:26, a report was received that a drone had crashed near the village of Mihăilești Vec in the Rîșcani district. Four fires broke out at the scene; no one was injured.
Experts discovered a turbojet engine and components of the warhead in the form of metal balls. The police reported that the device bore similarities to Russian «Geraniums», although the final model had yet to be finalised.
The identity of the drone near the aeroplane has not been publicly confirmed
Neither Støre, nor Reuters, nor the Moldovan authorities have stated that the drone spotted near the President’s aircraft – and which later crashed in the Rîșcani district – was in fact a Shahed. Nor has the origin of the drone that approached the aircraft, or the distance it travelled, been publicly established.
Consequently, the available information suggests that there was a dangerous incident, as claimed by the Norwegian Prime Minister, in connection with the drone incident in Moldova, but does not indicate a confirmed attempt to attack Zelenskyy’s plane.
In Oslo, Zelenskyy discussed air defence and support for Ukraine
President of Ukraine arrived safely in Oslo on the evening of 8 September to attend the funeral of King Harald V of Norway. During his meeting with Støre, the two sides discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defence, preparations for winter, and the continuation of military aid and the development of European missile defence.
Minister of Defence of Moldova Anatoliy Nosatyi On 9 September, he stated that since the start of the full-scale war, the country had recorded dozens of incidents involving airspace violations or drones crashing. Following this, Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian border crossing at Starokozache near the Moldovan border: civilians were killed and operations at the crossing were temporarily suspended.
