Zelensky was travelling to Norway to attend the funeral of King Harald V. Store said the incident occurred as the presidential aircraft was preparing to depart from Moldova, when a security alert was triggered.
“President Zelensky’s plane was close to being hit by a drone,” Store told Norway’s public broadcaster NRK, describing the incident as one of the security challenges the Ukrainian president faces in his daily life.
Store did not provide further details about the incident or explain how close the drone came to the aircraft.
However, a Ukrainian presidential official who spoke to AFP gave a somewhat different account. The official said an alert had been issued in Moldova after a Russian drone entered the airspace of Moldova and Romania.
According to the Ukrainian official, reports suggesting that Zelensky’s life had been in direct danger were exaggerated, saying the incident was primarily a security alert.
Zelensky arrived in Oslo on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, where he held talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
The discussions focused on Norway’s continued support for Ukraine, including assistance with air defence and humanitarian aid.
On Wednesday, Zelensky attended the funeral of King Harald V, who died on August 28, 2026, at the age of 89.
The funeral was attended by several prominent international figures, including Britain’s Prince William, Japan’s Prince Akishino and leaders from more than 20 countries.
Following the funeral, Zelensky left Norway for Canada, where he was scheduled to hold further discussions with other international leaders.
