Two French nationals have been arrested in Denmark on suspicion of involvement in drone espionage activities that led to the temporary closure of Danish airports. The individuals, who presented themselves as the captain and first mate of a Russia-linked oil tanker, were taken into custody by French military personnel after the vessel was boarded near the coast of France.
The tanker, identified as the Boracay, is part of Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet' and is suspected of being used as a launchpad for drones that forced the shutdown of Copenhagen Airport on 22 September and Aalborg Airport two days later. The drones, believed to be larger fixed-wing or delta craft, were sighted in Danish airspace, prompting a four-hour closure of Copenhagen Airport.
French authorities launched an investigation after the crew failed to justify the vessel's nationality and refused to cooperate. The Boracay was intercepted by a French naval vessel on Sunday and diverted to Saint-Nazaire in western France. The tanker was carrying 750,000 barrels of crude oil from the Russian terminal in Primorsk to India.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the incidents as part of a 'hybrid war' waged by Russia against Europe. She stated that 'from a European perspective, there is only one country that is willing to threaten us, and it is Russia.' The European Union is set to discuss the development of a 'drone wall' to counter such threats at an upcoming summit in Copenhagen.
The Boracay, previously known as Varuna and Kiwala, is subject to economic sanctions by the UK, EU, and other nations. It was detained by Estonian authorities in April this year over registration issues. The UK has described the vessel as part of Russia's shadow fleet, used to clandestinely trade oil and avoid sanctions.
