Danish authorities have reported multiple unexplained drone sightings across several airports overnight, including a military installation. Government officials describe these incidents as a deliberate attempt to sow fear within the nation.
Aalborg Airport, serving both civilian and military flights, was forced to shut down for several hours during the night, according to regional police. Additionally, Billund Airport, Denmark’s second-busiest, also experienced a temporary closure following unconfirmed reports of drone presence.
Further unsettling reports indicated drone activity near two more southern Danish airports and an air base housing a squadron of the nation’s fighter jets, police confirmed.
The origin and operators of these drones remain unknown. However, these events occur amid heightened tensions across Europe, particularly after recent incidents involving Russian aircraft encroaching on the airspace of Poland, Estonia, and Romania.
Just days prior, Copenhagen Airport, the nation’s largest, also experienced closures due to drone sightings. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled this previous incident as the “most serious attack so far” on Denmark’s vital infrastructure, explicitly not ruling out Russian involvement.
In Brussels, during a Tuesday news conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated it was premature to identify the culprits behind these incursions. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has denied any Russian involvement in the Copenhagen Airport drone incident.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, speaking alongside the justice minister, publicly stated that he would not “exclude” Russian involvement in these most recent drone episodes.
While Mr. Poulsen reassured that the attacks didn’t pose an immediate military threat, he emphasized they highlighted Denmark’s susceptibility to hybrid warfare and infrastructure sabotage. He described the latest event as a “systematic operation, with systematic navigation across several locations simultaneously,” suggesting the involvement of a “professional actor.”
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard echoed these concerns, adding that the objective of such incidents is “to create fear, division and make us feel afraid.”
The Danish government is engaging with its NATO allies and contemplating invoking Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. This article allows a member state to initiate formal discussions when its national security is threatened, a step previously taken by Poland after over 20 Russian drones violated its airspace in early September.
Law enforcement, in collaboration with the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and the armed forces, has launched an investigation into the matter.
The growing threat posed by drones near airports has become a significant concern globally. Past incidents include hundreds of flight disruptions at London’s Gatwick Airport in December 2018 due to drone activity, and a complete halt of flights to Newark Liberty International Airport the following month after pilots sighted a drone.