Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has described a drone incursion that forced the closure of Copenhagen Airport for several hours as the 'most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date'. Speaking on Tuesday, she said authorities were investigating the incident, which she linked to a pattern of hybrid attacks across Europe, and did not rule out Russian involvement.
Two or three large drones were sighted near the airport on Monday night, with police stating they appeared to be operated by a 'capable operator' seeking to demonstrate particular capabilities. The drones approached from multiple directions, switching their lights on and off for several hours before disappearing. No suspects have been identified.
Oslo Airport, Norway's main aviation hub, was also closed for three hours after two drones were observed there. Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded across the Nordic region, and flights were diverted. Authorities in Denmark and Norway are investigating whether the two incidents are connected.
Moscow has denied involvement, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accusing Frederiksen of making 'unfounded accusations'. However, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre noted that Russia had violated Norwegian airspace three times in recent months, involving fighter jets and an aircraft. He described the incidents as 'very serious', though smaller in scope than those in other European countries.
Frederiksen said the incursion was intended to 'disrupt and create unrest' and test limits. She highlighted a broader context of drone activity, airspace violations, and hacker attacks on European airports. 'This is in my eyes a serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure,' she told Danish broadcaster DR.
In a separate development, a Singaporean couple in their 50s and 60s was arrested in central Oslo on Monday night for flying a drone. Authorities are examining the device but have found no link to the airport incidents.
