Denmark revealed on Thursday that the recent drone intrusions causing temporary closures at two of its airports and impacting military sites were considered hybrid attacks aimed at instilling fear, although the perpetrators remain unidentified. These incidents mark the latest in a string of drone infiltrations in European airspace, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by governments in addressing such occurrences.
Despite the disruption to air traffic, Danish authorities opted not to take down the drones for safety reasons. Billund airport, the country’s second-largest, and Aalborg airport, utilized for both commercial and military flights, were shut down for one and three hours, respectively, due to the drone activities late on Wednesday. However, both airports resumed operations on Thursday morning.
Additional drone sightings were reported near airports in Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as at Skrydstrup airbase, housing Denmark’s F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, and a military facility in Holstebro, all situated on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the coordinated drone incidents as a systematic and deliberate hybrid attack, emphasizing that there was no immediate military threat to the nation.
Following the Copenhagen airport disruption earlier in the week, which led to the acquisition of long-range precision weapons by Denmark to counter perceived threats from Russia, tensions have escalated. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen characterized the incident as a severe assault on critical infrastructure, alleging connections to suspected Russian drone activities across Europe. Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, denied any involvement in the Copenhagen event, while Russia has not officially commented on the recent drone incidents over Jutland.
Amidst the escalating situation, Denmark is considering the possibility of invoking NATO’s Article 4 for consultations, allowing member states to address security concerns collectively. This move comes after Poland invoked the same article in response to Russian drone activities over its territory. Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for shooting down Russian aircraft entering NATO airspace during a recent press interaction at the United Nations.
The series of drone incidents in Denmark underscores the evolving challenges posed by such incursions and the complex geopolitical dynamics at play within European airspace.