Zelenskyy’s plane nearly encountered a drone during Moldova departure
A drone was detected while Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s aircraft prepared to leave Chișinău for Oslo. Moldova temporarily halted flights; the drone later crashed near the Romanian border, and Zelenskyy arrived safely.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Places in the report
Countries named in the cited reporting. Highlighting does not show the area affected. Map: Natural Earth.
How the effects could reach youConditional effects
Event date: The incident occurred on Tuesday as Zelenskyy departed Chișinău for Oslo for the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V. [1][2]
What happened
Moldova’s military detected an unmanned aerial vehicle while Zelenskyy’s aircraft was preparing to depart Chișinău International Airport for Oslo. [2][1]
References for this detail (2)
- Zelensky's Plane Nearly Hit by Drone During Moldova Departure, Norway PM Sayskhaama.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 7:18 AM UTC
- Timeline: How a Russian drone nearly hit Zelenskyy's plane in Moldovaeuronews.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 12:13 PM UTC
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told NRK that the aircraft had been “almost hit” during takeoff, but he did not provide a distance or explain how he received that information. [2][3]
References for this detail (2)
- Timeline: How a Russian drone nearly hit Zelenskyy's plane in Moldovaeuronews.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 12:13 PM UTC
- Zelenskyy's plane nearly hit by drone while taking off from Moldova: Norway PMtimesofindia.indiatimes.com · Article published: Sep 9, 2026, 8:05 PM UTC
Moldovan authorities temporarily suspended flights after two drones entered the country’s airspace during a wave of Russian attacks on neighbouring Ukraine. Zelenskyy’s departure was delayed until the threat had passed. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Zelensky's Plane Nearly Hit by Drone During Moldova Departure, Norway PM Sayskhaama.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 7:18 AM UTC
One drone reportedly crashed on Moldovan territory and caused a fire near the capital region, while another briefly entered neighbouring Romania’s airspace before leaving Moldova. No injuries were reported in the account. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Zelensky's Plane Nearly Hit by Drone During Moldova Departure, Norway PM Sayskhaama.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 7:18 AM UTC
The aircraft later reached Oslo, where Zelenskyy attended the funeral and met Norwegian officials and defence-industry executives, according to the report. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Zelensky's Plane Nearly Hit by Drone During Moldova Departure, Norway PM Sayskhaama.com · Article published: Sep 10, 2026, 7:18 AM UTC
Context from the sources
The incident occurred amid Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. Euronews said Zelenskyy had commonly used Poland, including Rzeszów, as a departure point during the war. [2]
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
3 source links · 3 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [3] Zelenskyy's plane nearly hit by drone while taking off from Moldova: Norway PMtimesofindia.indiatimes.comReferenced for: detail 2
- [1] Zelensky's Plane Nearly Hit by Drone During Moldova Departure, Norway PM Sayskhaama.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 3, detail 4, detail 5
- [2] Timeline: How a Russian drone nearly hit Zelenskyy's plane in Moldovaeuronews.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2
Questions answered by the reporting
What happened to the drone after the flight was delayed?
It was detected again at 5:07 p.m. over Moldova and later crashed about 25 kilometres east of the Romanian border. [2]
What this could mean for you
Flights in affected Moldovan airspace may face short-notice delays or temporary suspension.
Authorities halted air traffic while assessing drone incursions and cleared departures only after the threat passed.
Reported basis: [1] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Further drones enter controlled airspace or authorities cannot establish that routes are safe.
Civilian aviation near Moldova and Romania could face heightened safety concerns.
The reported drone path crossed Moldovan airspace and briefly entered Romanian airspace during regional attacks.
Reported basis: [1] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Similar incursions continue or drones approach flight paths.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
Additional drone incursions into Moldovan or neighbouring airspace could trigger further flight suspensions.
An approach toward an active civilian flight path would increase the immediate aviation risk.
Pressure eases if…
A confirmed end to the incursion would allow authorities to restore normal flight operations.
Improved detection and airspace coordination could reduce the chance of another aircraft encountering a drone.
Still unclear
The drone’s operator and intended target were not established in the excerpts.
The precise distance between the drone and Zelenskyy’s aircraft was not disclosed.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (3)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plane was “almost hit” by a drone while taking off from Moldova en route to Norway, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Russia’s latest drone incursion into Moldova and NATO airspace comes as Moscow increasingly deploys jet-powered attack drones, blurring the line between traditional UAVs and low-cost…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy narrowly avoided a collision with an unidentified drone while taking off from Moldova en route to Oslo for…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
First tracked by DoomRadar: . AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.