Drones Disrupt Multiple Danish Airports

Authorities in Denmark have reported drone flights over multiple airports, prompting the closure of at least one facility for several hours, police said on Thursday. The incidents follow a similar event earlier this week that led Copenhagen Airport to shut temporarily.

The spate of drone sightings has heightened tensions in Danish airspace, alongside recent drone activity in Poland and Romania and Russian fighter jets violating Estonian airspace amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Details of the Incidents

North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said: “It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours. At this time, we have not apprehended the drone operators either.”

South Jutland police confirmed that multiple reports of drone activity had been received at Esbjerg, Sonderborg, and Skrydstrup late on Wednesday evening. Authorities noted that the drones were equipped with lights, but it remained unclear what type of drones were used or their motive.

An investigation involving the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces is ongoing to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incursions.

This week’s drone incidents follow earlier disruptions at Copenhagen Airport, which were described by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as the “most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure” to date.

“This is part of the development we have recently observed with other drone attacks, airspace violations, and cyberattacks targeting European airports,” Frederiksen said.

Moscow has denied involvement in the incidents and rejected accusations from the governments of Poland, Estonia, and Romania regarding drones or airspace violations.

The drone activity coincides with Denmark’s announcement that it will acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, citing the need to target distant threats amid Russia’s continued military presence. Moscow’s ambassador to Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, dismissed the statement as “pure madness.”

The incidents underline the growing security challenges facing European airports, where drones, cyberattacks, and airspace violations are increasingly threatening aviation operations and critical infrastructure.