Ukrainian President Reiterates Claim Russian Drones Targeted His Plane Twice In Recent Weeks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted his presidential plane twice in recent weeks while it transited Moldovan airspace, he told CBS News on Tuesday.[1]
He said the first incident occurred in Chisinau while his presidential jet was on the ground before his September 9 flight to Oslo.[1] Zelenskyy added that one or two drones again entered Moldovan airspace on his return "a couple days later," a second attempt he said had not been previously reported, and he framed both episodes as part of an intimidation strategy.[1]
On Sunday, September 13, 2026, a Russian drone struck a train at Yahodyn station near the Poland border shortly after a diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Carl Bildt and EU security advisers departed.[2] Ukrzaliznytsia said the strike was "highly probable" to have been aimed at the diplomatic train.[2] It said another train carrying former CIA director David Petraeus was still at Yahodyn when a different locomotive was struck.[2] Carl Bildt posted video saying the struck train was "minutes after us" and had been evacuated as the drone approached, with no injuries reported.[2]
Early coverage centered on the Yahodyn train strike and the timing of a VIP diplomatic convoy, without reporting any attempt on Zelenskyy's aircraft.[2] CBS News later published Mr. Zelenskyy's interview on Tuesday detailing the two drone incidents in Moldovan airspace and linking them to a wider pattern of unidentified drones entering European skies.[1]
On Tuesday NATO jets shot down a drone over Lithuania, an action cited in the CBS report as underscoring rising concern about drones in European airspace.[1]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Sunday, September 13, 2026, a Russian drone struck a train at Yahodyn station shortly after a diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Carl Bildt and EU security advisers departed ahead of schedule (Yahodyn station).
- Ukrzaliznytsia said it was "highly probable" the drone's intended target was the diplomatic train, added that operators "constantly adjust train schedules" to guard against strikes, and noted another train carrying former CIA Director David Petraeus was still at Yahodyn when the drone hit a different locomotive (Ukrzaliznytsia).
- Carl Bildt posted video on X from Yahodyn saying the struck train was "minutes after us" at the Polish border crossing, that it had been evacuated as the drone approached, and that no injuries were reported (Carl Bildt).
- Earlier on September 13, 2026, Ukrainian border guards said a Russian drone hit a truck less than a mile from Polish territory, temporarily closing the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing (Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing).
- CBS News independently confirmed a Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine–Poland border shortly after a convoy with European officials passed through and highlighted the presence of Boris Johnson in that convoy (CBS News).
- In a CBS News interview published Tuesday, September 15, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted his presidential plane with drones twice in recent weeks while it transited Moldovan airspace (Volodymyr Zelenskyy).
- Zelenskyy said the first incident occurred in Moldova while his presidential jet was on the ground in Chisinau before his September 9, 2026 flight to Oslo, and he suggested his presence there was "why they attacked Moldova" (Chisinau).
- He said that on his return trip "a couple days later" one or two drones again entered Moldovan airspace in what he characterized as a repeat targeting attempt — the second incident had not been previously reported — and he tied both flight incidents to the same intimidation strategy he alleged was behind the Yahodyn train strike (Moldovan airspace).
- The CBS piece placed these claims in a broader context of unidentified drones — some traced to Russia — increasingly entering European airspace and reported that on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 NATO jets shot down a drone over Lithuania, according to Lithuanian officials (NATO jets).
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- In a CBS News interview published Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted his presidential aircraft twice in recent weeks while it transited Moldovan airspace.
- Zelenskyy said the first incident occurred in Moldova while his presidential jet was on the ground in Chisinau before his September 9, 2026 flight to Oslo, and he alleged that presence was 'why they attacked Moldova.'
- He said that on his return trip to Ukraine via Chisinau 'a couple days later,' one or two drones again entered Moldovan airspace in what he characterized as a repeat targeting attempt; this second incident had not been previously reported.
- Zelenskyy framed both the flight incidents and the September 13 Yahodyn train strike as part of a Russian strategy to intimidate him and foreign leaders, saying the Russians may have known that Europeans and Americans were on the diplomatic train.
- The article notes a broader pattern of unidentified drones, some traced to Russia, increasingly entering European airspace, and that on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, NATO jets for the first time shot down a drone over Lithuania, according to Lithuanian officials.
- In a CBS News exclusive interview published Tuesday, September 15, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again stated that Russia had targeted his plane with drones twice in recent weeks.
- Zelenskyy framed the alleged attempts to hit his aircraft as part of what he described as a broader Russian strategy to intimidate him and visiting European leaders.
- The clip itself is the on-camera source of the earlier reported allegation about two drone attempts against his plane while transiting Moldovan airspace.
- CBS News segment confirms a Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after a diplomatic train carrying European officials, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, passed through the area.
- The CBS report explicitly identifies the officials as 'European officials' and highlights Boris Johnson's presence as a key detail in the convoy description.
- The piece reinforces the sequence that the VIP convoy passed first, followed by the drone strike on a different train near the same border area.
- On Sunday, September 13, 2026, Ukrzaliznytsia stated that a Russian drone struck a train at Yahodyn station shortly after a diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Carl Bildt and EU security advisers departed ahead of schedule.
- Ukrzaliznytsia said in a Telegram post it was "highly probable" the drone's intended target was the diplomatic train that left Yahodyn early after the security conference in Kyiv.
- Carl Bildt posted video from Yahodyn on X saying the hit train was "minutes after us" by the Polish border crossing and that it had been evacuated as the drone approached, with no injuries reported.
- Ukrzaliznytsia said another train carrying former CIA Director David Petraeus was still at Yahodyn when the drone struck the locomotive of a different train, and that the operator "constantly adjusts train schedules" to guard against strikes.
- Earlier on September 13, a Russian drone hit a truck less than a mile from Polish territory, temporarily closing the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing, according to Ukrainian border guards.