Danish authorities have reported a series of unexplained drone sightings at several airports overnight, including a crucial military facility. A government official has described these incidents as a deliberate attempt to instill fear within the nation.
Aalborg Airport, serving both civilian and military flights, was forced to halt operations for several hours. Additionally, Billund Airport, the country’s second-busiest, experienced a brief shutdown due to unconfirmed drone activity. These closures were confirmed by regional police statements.
Further reports indicated drone presence near two other southern Danish airports and an air base housing some of Denmark’s fighter jet fleet.
The origins and operators of these drones remain unknown. However, these incidents unfold during a period of heightened vigilance across Europe, intensified by recent incursions of Russian military aircraft into the airspace of NATO members like Poland, Estonia, and Romania.
Just days prior, drone sightings also led to the closure of Copenhagen Airport, Denmark’s primary air hub. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled that event as the “most serious attack so far” on the nation’s vital infrastructure, explicitly not ruling out Russian involvement.
During a Tuesday news conference in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that it was premature to attribute responsibility for the incursions. The Kremlin, for its part, has denied any Russian involvement in the Copenhagen Airport drone incident.
Denmark’s Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, remarked on Thursday that while the government “could not definitively conclude” Russian involvement in the most recent events, they “could not exclude” it either, citing the prevailing security climate in Europe.
Poulsen emphasized that these attacks, while not posing an immediate military threat, underscore Denmark’s susceptibility to hybrid warfare and acts targeting critical infrastructure. He described the latest episode as a “systematic operation” involving a “professional actor,” characterized by “systematic navigation across several locations simultaneously.”
Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard reiterated the perceived intent behind these actions: “The aim of these is to create fear, division, and make us feel afraid.”
The Danish government, according to Poulsen, is engaging with its NATO allies and considering invoking Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. This article allows a member state to initiate formal discussions regarding a threat to its national security, a step Poland previously took after over 20 Russian drones entered its airspace on September 9th and 10th.
Police, in collaboration with the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and the armed forces, have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
Drone activity near airports has become a growing concern globally in recent years. Notable past incidents include hundreds of flight disruptions at Gatwick Airport near London in December 2018 due to hovering drones, and a halt of all flights to Newark Liberty International Airport the following month after pilots sighted a nearby drone.