Danish authorities reported multiple sightings of unidentified drones across several airports overnight, including a military facility. A government official suggested these incidents were an intentional attempt to instill fear throughout the nation.
Aalborg Airport, a dual-purpose hub for both civilian and military flights, experienced a closure lasting several hours. Similarly, Billund Airport, Denmark’s second-busiest, was temporarily shut down following unconfirmed reports of drone activity nearby.
Police also confirmed drone detections near two other southern Danish airports and an air base housing Denmark’s fighter jet fleet.
The origin and operators of these drones remain unknown. However, these events occur during a period of heightened vigilance across Europe, following recent instances of Russian aircraft violating the airspace of Poland, Estonia, and Romania.
Just days prior, similar drone sightings led to the closure of Copenhagen Airport, the nation’s largest. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled that incident the “most serious attack so far” on Denmark’s vital infrastructure, explicitly not ruling out Russian involvement.
In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Tuesday that it was premature to identify the perpetrators of these incursions. Meanwhile, the Kremlin strongly denied any Russian involvement in the Copenhagen Airport drone incident.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen noted that while the Danish government couldn’t definitively confirm Russian involvement in the newest episodes, it also couldn’t rule it out, citing the prevailing security climate in Europe.
Poulsen emphasized that these attacks, while not posing an immediate military threat, highlight Denmark’s susceptibility to hybrid warfare and infrastructure sabotage. He described the latest incident as a “systematic operation, with systematic navigation across several locations simultaneously,” indicating a “professional actor” was behind it.
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard reinforced this sentiment, adding that the goal of these actions is to “create fear, division and make us feel afraid.”
Poulsen also revealed that the Danish government is communicating with its NATO allies and contemplating invoking Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. This article allows a member state to initiate a formal discussion regarding a threat to its national security, a step Poland took after over 20 Russian drones intruded into Polish airspace on September 9 and 10.
Law enforcement agencies are collaborating with the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and the armed forces to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
The unauthorized presence of drones near airports has grown into a significant threat globally in recent years. For example, in December 2018, drones near Gatwick Airport in London caused widespread disruptions and hundreds of flight cancellations. The following month, all flights heading to Newark Liberty International Airport were halted after pilots spotted a drone in the vicinity.