Zelensky’s plane nearly hit by Russian drone over Moldova, Norway’s PM says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plane was nearly struck by a suspected Russian Shahed-type drone as it departed Moldova on Tuesday, September 8, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and a source who spoke to the Kyiv Independent.united24media+1

Zelensky was traveling to Oslo ahead of the funeral of King Harald V of Norway, which took place on Wednesday. Speaking to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK on Wednesday morning, Støre said, "His flight was almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova," adding, "That is the reality he lives in."kyivindependent+1

A Drone Incursion That Matched Zelensky's Departure

Moldova's Defense Ministry reported that a Shahed-type drone entered the country's airspace at approximately 4:20 p.m. local time on September 8 and was tracked by Moldovan military until it crossed into Romanian airspace around 4:37 p.m. The incursion triggered airspace closures, emergency alerts, and the scrambling of NATO fighter jets.kyivindependent+1

The timing of the drone's violation corresponded with Zelensky's flight from Moldova, a source told the Kyiv Independent. Støre did not say how close the drone came to the aircraft or what his source for the information was.kyivindependent+1

A Pattern of Aerial Threats

The near-miss is part of an escalating pattern of Russian drone incursions into Moldovan and Romanian airspace. Russian drones have routinely violated the airspace of both countries in recent months, including five incursions on Moldova's Independence Day on August 27, when Zelensky was also visiting Chișinău. Moldovan President Maia Sandu called that incident "a clear attempt to intimidate us."balkaninsight+1

In a separate incident in December 2025, four unidentified military-grade drones breached an Irish no-fly zone and flew toward the flight path of Zelensky's plane as it approached Dublin Airport, according to reporting by The Journal. The aircraft had landed slightly ahead of schedule, narrowly avoiding the drones.cbsnews+2

War Shadows Over Oslo

Zelensky arrived safely in Oslo on Tuesday evening, where he met with Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. During his Wednesday meeting with Støre, Zelensky described a difficult night spent fielding phone calls about missile strike locations across Ukraine. Russian attacks on Wednesday killed at least eight people, including near the Ukraine-Moldova border crossing in the Odesa region.lufkindailynews+2