Denmark investigates ‘hybrid attacks’ after drones spotted above airports
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The news: Denmark’s Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has told a press conference on that drones carried out “hybrid attacks” at five regional Danish airports on Wednesday night, the second such event the country has endured this week.
The context: Authorities are investigating potential Russian involvement in the drone incident, which saw air traffic at Aalborg airport suspended temporarily, before drones were also spotted at three smaller airfields. The country’s second largest airport, Billund, was also briefly closed on Thursday morning local time on reports of possible drone activity.
Poulsen said that the overnight attacks, which followed similar drone incursions at Copenhagen airport on Monday night are “definitely not a coincidence, it looks systematic.”
Poulsen said that a professional actor was behind the latest events, citing the large size and volume of drones and that they appeared in several places at once. “There are countries, or actors who are interested in weakening our support for Ukraine,” Poulsen said. Still, “we don’t have basis to make a direct link to Russia.”
Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, denied any involvement by Russia.
Several recent airspace incursions by Russia over NATO countries have prompted the alliance to launch Operation Eastern Sentry, boosting air defence in frontline states. Earlier this month Poland shot down multiple Russian drones in its airspace, while three Russian fighter jets violated Estonia’s airspace. NATO’s North Atlantic Council has met twice under Article 4 to address the incursions, and Poulsen said that Denmark is considering whether to involved Article 4 once again to discuss a coordination response.
