Ukraine’s President Zelensky almost hit by drone on his way to funeral of Norway’s King Harald in targeted Russian attack on plane

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plane was nearly hit by a drone as it prepared to take off from Moldova for Norway, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Zelensky was travelling to Oslo to attend the funeral of Norway’s King Harald when the incident occurred, Støre told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. “His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was about to take off from Moldova. That is the reality he is facing,” Støre said.

Despite the incident, Zelensky arrived in Norway on Tuesday evening and joined other world leaders in walking behind King Harald’s coffin during the funeral before continuing his journey to Canada. Prince William and Princess Anne were also among those who attended the funeral. Støre said Zelensky told him he had not slept well after receiving news by phone of fresh missile strikes in Ukraine.

“It’s a very dramatic situation. It makes a strong impression,” the Norwegian prime minister said. Zelensky’s talks in Oslo focused on Ukraine’s air defence, with further discussions planned with companies involved in an initiative to develop a European anti-ballistic missile system.

His visit came as fresh Russian strikes were reported across Ukraine. Two civilians were killed and three others injured in a Russian drone strike on a border crossing with Moldova, while one person was killed and 14 others were injured in overnight drone strikes on Kyiv.

A separate Russian drone strike on a shopping centre in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy killed three people and injured two others.

Regional governor Oleh Hryhorov warned that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continued battling a fire at the badly damaged building. Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had also struck a naval base and oil terminal in Russia as he called for an end to Moscow’s military campaign. “The aggression must be stopped here and now, before it spreads any further,” Zelensky said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he had held what he described as a “great conversation” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested that an agreement to end the war “could happen”. “He is wanting to make a deal and if Zelensky is wanting to make a deal, that would be very nice. The hold up is two people that hate each other,” Trump said.