Drone nearly strikes Zelenskyy’s plane before takeoff for Norwegian king’s funeral, PM says

# Why This Matters This incident represents a dangerous escalation in Russia's strategy of directly targeting Ukrainian leadership beyond the battlefield, with potential consequences extending far beyond Kyiv. By breaching Moldova's airspace—a NATO-adjacent nation struggling to maintain neutrality—Russia is testing the limits of regional responses and signaling willingness to risk confrontation with Western-aligned countries. The near-miss on Zelenskyy's aircraft during an official diplomatic mission to a NATO ally's state funeral underscores how the war is increasingly disrupting civilian air corridors and international governance across Eastern Europe. If Russia continues this pattern without substantial consequences, it could force NATO members to establish broader air defense commitments in the region, escalate Ukrainian pressure for advanced Western weapons systems, and fundamentally reshape air travel security across Eastern Europe for years to come.