Copenhagen Airport was forced to shut down for several hours after multiple large drones entered its airspace, in what Denmark’s high minister called the most serious attack on the country’s critical structure to date.
Mette Frederick said authorities are still probing the incident but can not rule out Russia’s involvement. Moscow has denied any part, with Kremlin prophet Dmitry Peskov calling Fredericton’s reflections “ unsupported allegations. ”
According to Danish police, two or three large drones appeared near Copenhagen Airport on Monday night. Officers said the drones switched their lights on and out for hours, came from several directions, and were controlled by a “ able driver ” who sounded intent on showing off specialised chops. No suspects have been linked so far.
Oslo Airport in Norway also had to close for three hours after two drones were spotted there. knockouts of thousands of passengers across the Nordic region were stranded, and breakouts had to be diverted. Authorities in both Denmark and Norway are probing whether the two incidents are connected.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre indicted Russia of violating Norwegian airspace three times in recent months. He said the incidents, while lower than violations in Estonia, Poland and Roumania, are still serious after further than a decade without any similar breaches. The violations involved Russian military aircraft, including fighter spurts, lasting between one and four twinkles each.
Frederiksen said the Copenhagen drone incident reflects “ the times we live in ” and advised of adding mongrel pitfalls, including drone irruptions, airspace violations and cyber attacks. “ This is in my eyes a serious attack on Danish critical structure, ” she told Danish broadcaster DR.
She added that the drones were likely meant to “ disrupt and produce uneasiness ” and test Europe’s response limits. “ I can not in any way deny that it’s Russia, ” Frederiksen said, pointing to a pattern of mongrel attacks and sabotage attempts across Europe.
Police in Denmark are also considering whether the drones were launched from vessels passing through the busy Baltic shipping lanes near Copenhagen. Hundreds of Russian “ shadow line ” vessels carrying sanctioned oil painting regularly conveyance the area. Jacob Kaarsbo, a former elderly critic at Denmark’s defens intelligence agency, said a launch from similar vessels was “ the most likely option. ”
Kaarsbo said the drones were fixed- sect models about 2.5 measures wide and needed special launch outfit, indicating a state- position actor. He noted that Russia has used shadow line vessels to launch drones ahead, including in German waters.
European leaders have replied explosively. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had spoken with Frederiksen about the incident, warning of “ ongoing challenges at our borders. ” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said it was too early to determine if the Danish incident was directly linked to Russian airspace violations away.
The drone irruptions follow other dislocations at European airfields. On Friday, a cyberattack hit check- heft and boarding systems at London Heathrow, Berlin and Brussels, causing major detainment.
Independently, Norwegian police arrested a Singaporean couple for flying a drone in central Oslo on Monday night. Authorities said there was no substantiation linking their drone to the field incidents.
Danish police have declined to note on claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who directly indicted Russia of orchestrating the Copenhagen attack.
