Zelensky told CBS News on Tuesday that Russian forces had struck his presidential jet twice while it was in Moldovan airspace during the past weeks, alleging the actions were designed to intimidate him and other foreign leaders.
The first alleged strike occurred when the aircraft was parked at an airport near Chisinau, and the second when it was returning from Kyiv, again passing through Moldovan airspace.
Zelensky also reported that one or two drones entered Moldovan airspace during the return journey, though Ukrainian officials later confirmed that all delegation members were safe and that the drone activity was not deemed intentional.
The claims coincide with a separate drone attack on a passenger train carrying a delegation of foreign dignitaries, including senior European officials and former CIA Director David Petraeus, which struck near the Polish border and forced evacuations.
Zelensky said he was unsure whether Russian operators knew the train’s international passengers and did not believe the attack was accidental, hinting that Russia may have targeted the train to send a warning.
In a related development, NATO fighter jets shot down a drone over Lithuanian airspace on Tuesday, the first such incident in that country after an uptick in unidentified drones across European skies.