Zelensky claims Russian drones entered Moldovan airspace twice during his visit

In an interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drones penetrated Moldovan airspace on two separate trips when his presidential aircraft was stationed in Chișinău, implying a deliberate attempt to intimidate him. He connected these flights to a recent Russian drone attack on a specially arranged train transporting European officials from Ukraine to Poland, asserting that Moscow was aware of the high-profile passengers.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre claimed the Ukrainian plane narrowly avoided a collision with a drone departing Moldova for Oslo, but a senior aide in Zelensky’s office described that narrative as an exaggeration. Moldovan authorities temporarily closed their airspace after detecting a drone, later lifting the restriction once the device exploded near the village of Mihăilenii Vechi in Rîșcani District. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeled the alleged threat as illusory, noting that Ukrainian officials had admitted it. The incidents highlight ongoing tensions over airspace security in the region.