Finance
Drones were spotted near Zelenskiy flight path to Dublin, Irish media report
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Drones were detected near Zelenskiy's flight path in Dublin, causing a security alert. The aircraft was safe, but the incident raised concerns about drone incursions.
DUBLIN, Dec 4 (Reuters) - An Irish navy ship spotted up to five drones operating near the flight path of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's aircraft as he arrived for a state visit to Ireland on Monday, local media reported on Thursday.
The sighting triggered a major security alert amid fears it was an attempt to interfere with the flight path, the Irish Times reported. It quoted unnamed sources as saying the aircraft, which arrived slightly early, was not in any danger.
The Ukrainian delegation arrived late on Monday and departed late the next day as part of a trip to help drum up support in Europe for Kyiv as Russia presses on with its war in Ukraine.
Drone flights, the origin of which are mostly unknown, have recently disrupted airspace operations in Europe. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the incursions "hybrid warfare".
The Journal website, which first reported the spotting of the drones at Dublin airport, said they reached the location where Zelenskiy's plane was expected to be at the exact moment it had been due to pass.
It said enquiries were being carried out to determine whether the drones took off from land or from an undetected ship. They were first spotted northeast of Dublin, around 20 km (12 miles) from the airport, both news outlets reported.
Ireland's Defence Forces said it had no comment on the specifics of any alleged incidents for operational security reasons.
"However, Defence Forces support to the security operation, led by An Garda Siochana (police), was successfully deployed in multiple means ultimately leading to a safe and successful visit," a spokesperson said in a statement.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
A security alert is a notification that indicates a potential threat or danger, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures to ensure safety.
A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously using software-controlled flight plans.
Airspace security refers to measures taken to protect the airspace from unauthorized access or threats, ensuring the safety of aircraft and passengers.
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