Suspicious drone activity near Danish military bases sparks hybrid attack fears

Drones have been spotted flying near several military facilities in Denmark, including the country’s largest, in the latest wave of aerial incursions that earlier this week also disrupted civilian air traffic.

On September 25, unmanned devices were observed above Karup airbase, forcing authorities to briefly close its civil airspace to commercial flights.

The Defence Ministry later confirmed that drones had also been sighted near other installations, though it declined to specify which ones. Danish state media have not named the additional locations.

Duty officer Simon Skelsjaer told reporters that the incident began at around 20:15 local time (18:15 GMT) and lasted several hours. He explained that the drones had not been shot down, leaving their origin unclear, and said police were coordinating with the military in the ongoing investigation. Although the airspace above Karup was temporarily closed, there was no disruption to traffic, as no commercial flights were scheduled at the time.

Karup airbase is a critical hub for Denmark’s defence infrastructure. It houses the country’s entire helicopter fleet, airspace surveillance units, and parts of the Danish Defence Command, employing around 3,500 personnel.

The incursions follow a string of suspicious drone activity across Denmark in recent days. On September 22, Copenhagen airport was forced to shut down for several hours after drones were reported overhead. The same day, Oslo airport in neighbouring Norway was also temporarily closed following possible drone sightings. On Wednesday night, drones forced the closure of Denmark’s Aalborg and Billund airports, while three smaller airports reported activity but managed to remain operational.

Similar drone activity has recently been noted in Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Lithuania, raising fears of a coordinated campaign.

Danish authorities described the September 25 incidents as a possible “hybrid attack,” a form of hostile action that combines military and non-military tactics to disrupt infrastructure or institutions. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the operation appeared to have been carried out by a “professional actor” but suggested the drones were launched locally.

While officials stressed there was no evidence directly linking Moscow to the flights, the incidents have heightened concern about potential Russian involvement, particularly given Russia’s history of hybrid operations and Europe’s heightened alert since the outbreak of the Ukraine war.

The Russian embassy in Copenhagen rejected what it called “absurd speculations” about Moscow’s role, dismissing the reports as “staged provocations.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov similarly described earlier allegations as “unfounded.”

Nevertheless, the incidents are being viewed against the backdrop of increased Russian airspace violations in Europe. Last week, Estonia and Poland invoked NATO consultations after around 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish territory and Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace in separate cases. Romania also reported that a Russian drone had breached its airspace.

Russia has denied violating Estonia’s airspace, said the drone incursion into Poland was accidental, and declined to comment on the Romanian claim.

After the September 22 disruption at Copenhagen airport, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that Russian involvement could not be ruled out.

By Tamilla Hasanova