Zelenskyy’s plane ‘almost hit’ by drone on way to Oslo, Norwegian PM says

What the report says

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said a plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Oslo was nearly struck by a drone during takeoff, according to comments he made to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. Al Jazeera reported that Store did not identify the source for the claim or provide details on how close the drone came to the aircraft. Zelenskyy arrived in Norway’s capital on Tuesday evening and was there for the funeral of King Harald V.

The report places the incident against the backdrop of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. It also notes that Zelenskyy’s trip came as Ukrainian regional officials said at least eight people were killed in Russian attacks on Wednesday, including in areas near the Ukraine-Moldova border and in southeastern Ukraine.

While in Oslo, Zelenskyy met with Store and with defence industry executives to discuss work on a proposed European anti-ballistic system known as FREYJA. Zelenskyy said the talks focused on how governments and companies would divide responsibilities and on steps needed to deliver early practical results. He said protecting Europe’s airspace is a shared responsibility and thanked Norway and other partners for their cooperation. The article says the meeting was part of wider discussions on air defence and European security.