Near-miss or overstated alert? What really happened to Zelensky’s flight out of Moldova

Oslo: Officials in Ukraine and Moldova on Wednesday downplayed assertions made by Norway's prime minister that an aircraft carrying President Volodymyr Zelensky was nearly struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle as it departed for Oslo.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told public broadcaster NRK that Zelensky's aircraft was "almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova."

However, a senior source within the Ukrainian presidency characterised claims that Zelensky was in direct peril as "exaggerated."

"It was an alert in Moldova when a Russian (drone) entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace," the Ukrainian source told AFP.

In Chisinau, Moldovan government spokesman Dumitru Ciorici explained that authorities instituted a temporary airspace closure on Tuesday afternoon shortly after 4:30 pm local time after a Russian drone entered national airspace from the direction of Ukraine.

"The airspace was closed to protect aircraft flying over Moldova at the time: three departures and four arrivals were delayed as a result," Ciorici said.

"After 1720, the authorities confirmed that the drone had come down and exploded... some 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Chisinau International Airport," he added.

"Flight restrictions were then lifted. For the same reason, the plane of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took off... later than scheduled."

Zelensky landed in Oslo on Tuesday evening, where he conducted bilateral discussions with Store, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide regarding Norwegian military assistance, specifically air-defence capabilities, along with civilian aid.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader joined international dignitaries attending the state funeral of Norway's King Harald, who passed away on 28 August at the age of 89.

Following the proceedings, Zelensky departed Norway for Canada to meet with political leaders in Ottawa, Store told NRK.

AFP