President Volodymyr Zelensky’s aircraft was narrowly missed by four large military-style drones after they breached a restricted no-fly zone during his arrival in Dublin on Monday night, senior security sources have confirmed.
The UAVs, described as “highly sophisticated” and of “military specification”, flew directly towards the flight path Zelensky’s jet had originally been scheduled to use shortly after 11pm. The president’s aircraft landed minutes earlier than expected, avoiding what officials say could have been a serious security incident.
Drones Arrived Exactly on the Original Flight Schedule
According to sources, the drones appeared to have been timed to intercept the aircraft based on its initial arrival slot. After missing the plane, they turned away from the airport and headed into the Irish Sea, where they hovered over the LÉ William Butler Yeats, an Irish Naval Service vessel deployed covertly to support the visit.
The UAVs remained airborne for up to two hours. Investigators are examining whether they were launched from the Howth area or from an unidentified offshore vessel. No drones have yet been recovered, and the operators have not been identified.
No Shoot-Down Order Amid Limited Defence Options
Despite entering restricted airspace, no instruction was issued to shoot the drones down. Irish forces had few practical countermeasures available:
- Garda jamming equipment was out of range
- The naval vessel lacked air-search radar
- Its onboard weapons, limited to close-range machine guns, were deemed too risky to use
- An Irish Air Corps aircraft was airborne but did not engage
The drones’ illuminated lights suggested the operation was intended to intimidate or disrupt rather than avoid detection, officials said.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly was briefed in the early hours of Tuesday. The Taoiseach and Ministers for Justice and Defence were notified soon afterwards. It is not known whether the Ukrainian delegation was informed during the visit.
Part of a Pattern of Drone Incursions Across Europe
The incident comes amid a surge in similar drone breaches across Europe. Brussels and Danish airports were recently forced to close temporarily due to unidentified UAVs entering restricted airspace, while Dutch forces have opened fire on rogue drones in separate events.
The Dublin incursion occurred inside a no-fly zone imposed by the Irish Aviation Authority for the duration of Zelensky’s visit.
Incident Highlights Ireland’s Defence Vulnerabilities
The drones later entered Irish-controlled waters and circled above the LÉ William Butler Yeats, whose crew spotted the illuminated devices against the night sky. A high-level meeting between An Garda Síochána, Defence Forces leadership and national security officials was held on Tuesday to assess the breach and the State’s limited response options.
Ireland’s defence capability has faced increased scrutiny, with the country spending just €1.29bn, 0.24% of GDP, on defence, one of the lowest levels in Europe.
Zelensky’s visit proceeded without disruption, though his aircraft employed a specialist take-off procedure when leaving Dublin to reduce exposure to further drone activity.
Context of Previous Assassination Attempts
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has previously detailed several plots to harm the president. Two colonels from Ukraine’s protection unit were arrested last year over an alleged Russian-backed plan to kill him. Another attempted attack was thwarted earlier this year at Rzeszów airport in Poland.
Irish authorities have not commented publicly on Monday’s drone breach. Investigations are ongoing.
