Drones Trigger Alarm Again in Denmark: What’s Behind the Rising Concerns?

In a recent incident at Aalborg Airport in Denmark, the airspace was temporarily closed due to suspected drone activity. This disruption occurred late Thursday night, causing two flights to be affected—one returning to Amsterdam and another from Copenhagen being canceled, as reported by FlightRadar24.

The situation escalated when the airspace closure extended for nearly an hour, from 11:40 PM to 12:35 AM. Although authorities have yet to confirm the sighting of a drone, the impact was significant enough to warrant a temporary shutdown of airport operations.

Government Response to Drone Incidents

The Danish government has labeled these recurrent drone sightings over various airports as hybrid attacks aimed at instilling fear. In response to these threats, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard highlighted the ongoing nature of these threats. To combat and manage these aerial intrusions, the government plans to introduce new technologies for drone detection and neutralization. Additionally, a proposal is underway to allow operators of critical infrastructures the authority to shoot down unauthorized drones.

Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has suggested that these drone operations are being executed by a professional entity. However, he reassured that there is no direct military threat to the country.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has also expressed concerns over the potential escalation of such hybrid attacks, indicating that the frequency of these incidents could increase. Following these developments, French President Emmanuel Macron has extended unconditional support to Denmark, offering assistance in evaluating the situation and contributing to the security of Danish airspace, as per his statement on the social media platform X.

Speculations and International Involvement

Experts have speculated that the drones might be operated from ships, possibly those belonging to the so-called Russian shadow fleet. This theory gained substance when the Danish newspaper “Ekstra Bladet” reported spotting the Russian landing ship “Aleksandr Shabalin” off the Danish coast. The vessel was allegedly positioned 12 kilometers off Langeland Island with its tracking systems turned off. Despite its proximity to key locations, the Danish Defense Command has refrained from commenting on the situation.

As the international community keeps a wary eye on these developments, the Danish government is pressing ahead with legislative and technological solutions to safeguard national security against the backdrop of increasing drone-related disturbances at critical infrastructures.