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| ‘Professional actor’ behind attacks that closed Danish airports, defence minister says | ‘Professional actor’ behind attacks that closed Danish airports, defence minister says |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Drones overfly four more airports forcing Aalborg to halt traffic two nights after shutdown at Copenhagen terminals | Drones overfly four more airports forcing Aalborg to halt traffic two nights after shutdown at Copenhagen terminals |
| Europe – live updates | Europe – live updates |
| Denmark’s defence minister says the country has been the victim of a professional hybrid attack after drones flew over four airports overnight in the second such incursion in a matter of days. | Denmark’s defence minister says the country has been the victim of a professional hybrid attack after drones flew over four airports overnight in the second such incursion in a matter of days. |
| The drone sightings began shortly before 10pm on Wednesday and ended just before 1am on Thursday. Flights were halted for several hours at Aalborg airport, which also serves as a military base, Airports in Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup were also affected. Skrydstrup is home to some of the Danish military’s fighter jets. | The drone sightings began shortly before 10pm on Wednesday and ended just before 1am on Thursday. Flights were halted for several hours at Aalborg airport, which also serves as a military base, Airports in Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup were also affected. Skrydstrup is home to some of the Danish military’s fighter jets. |
| Billund, Denmark’s second biggest airport, closed its airspace for nearly an hour early on Thursday after drones were spotted. | Billund, Denmark’s second biggest airport, closed its airspace for nearly an hour early on Thursday after drones were spotted. |
| The Danish military said it had seen drones at “several military installations” – including Skrydstrup airbase and the The Jutland Dragoon Regiment barracks in Holstebro, warning it may “take down” drones at military sites. | The Danish military said it had seen drones at “several military installations” – including Skrydstrup airbase and the The Jutland Dragoon Regiment barracks in Holstebro, warning it may “take down” drones at military sites. |
| Police in Denmark and Sweden said they were investigating a number of reports of drone sightings, including over Danish oilfields and Stockholm. | |
| Copenhagen airport was forced to close on Monday night as a result of the presence of three drones. Among the theories being investigated is that they were launched from sea. Police said they were looking at a number of vessels of interest that were in the area at the time. They did not name any, but online ship trackers show that two Russian ships were in the area. The Danish broadcaster TV2 suggested they could have been appropriately positioned for Wednesday’s incidents. | |
| “There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time,” the defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said at a press conference. “This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones.” | “There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time,” the defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said at a press conference. “This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones.” |
| He added: “This is an arms race against time because technology is constantly evolving.” | He added: “This is an arms race against time because technology is constantly evolving.” |
| He said Denmark was considering activating Nato’s article 4 for the first time in Danish history, but a decision had not yet been made. Denmark contacted Nato on Thursday morning, he said, adding: “In addition to article 4, there are other things that can be done through Nato.” | He said Denmark was considering activating Nato’s article 4 for the first time in Danish history, but a decision had not yet been made. Denmark contacted Nato on Thursday morning, he said, adding: “In addition to article 4, there are other things that can be done through Nato.” |
| The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said later on X that she had spoken with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, “about the serious situation related to drones over Danish airports”. | The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said later on X that she had spoken with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, “about the serious situation related to drones over Danish airports”. |
| She added: “We agreed that Nato would work with Denmark on what we can do together to ensure safety and security.” | She added: “We agreed that Nato would work with Denmark on what we can do together to ensure safety and security.” |
| Rutte said Nato was taking the situation “very seriously”. “Nato allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure,” he added. | Rutte said Nato was taking the situation “very seriously”. “Nato allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure,” he added. |
| Poulsen said that although the Danish armed forces had “a number of capabilities”, they would like to have more. The government has faced criticism in recent days for not shooting down the drones. | Poulsen said that although the Danish armed forces had “a number of capabilities”, they would like to have more. The government has faced criticism in recent days for not shooting down the drones. |
| Denmark’s minister of justice, Peter Hummelgaard, said the goal of the flyovers was to sow fear and division and that the country would seek additional ways to neutralise drones, including proposing legislation to allow infrastructure owners to shoot them down. He said Copenhagen was “not ruling out anything in terms of who is behind this”. | Denmark’s minister of justice, Peter Hummelgaard, said the goal of the flyovers was to sow fear and division and that the country would seek additional ways to neutralise drones, including proposing legislation to allow infrastructure owners to shoot them down. He said Copenhagen was “not ruling out anything in terms of who is behind this”. |
| The Russian embassy in Copenhagen has rejected any speculation that Moscow was involved in the drone incidents as “absurd” and described the disruptions as a “staged provocation” to escalate tensions. | The Russian embassy in Copenhagen has rejected any speculation that Moscow was involved in the drone incidents as “absurd” and described the disruptions as a “staged provocation” to escalate tensions. |
| The drone flights follow similar incursions in Poland and Romania and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which have raised tensions in light of Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine. | The drone flights follow similar incursions in Poland and Romania and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which have raised tensions in light of Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine. |
| “The threat from hybrid attacks is here to stay,” said Hummelgaard, describing recent events as “deeply worrying incidents across Europe”. | “The threat from hybrid attacks is here to stay,” said Hummelgaard, describing recent events as “deeply worrying incidents across Europe”. |
| A joint EU meeting has been called on Friday to discuss Europe’s drone defence and the establishment of a “drone wall”. | A joint EU meeting has been called on Friday to discuss Europe’s drone defence and the establishment of a “drone wall”. |
| Poulsen said the drones may have been launched in the “immediate area” of Denmark, prompting speculation that they could have been launched from within Denmark or potentially northern Germany. | Poulsen said the drones may have been launched in the “immediate area” of Denmark, prompting speculation that they could have been launched from within Denmark or potentially northern Germany. |
| “I can’t describe where they came from, but not over a long distance. It’s happening here locally,” he said. | “I can’t describe where they came from, but not over a long distance. It’s happening here locally,” he said. |
| Military drone experts said it would technically be possible to have flown the drones from far away avoiding detection – especially if using 5G – using a method known as groundhugging. Or, they said, they could have been launched from nearby, driven by a pilot who could be anywhere in the world. | Military drone experts said it would technically be possible to have flown the drones from far away avoiding detection – especially if using 5G – using a method known as groundhugging. Or, they said, they could have been launched from nearby, driven by a pilot who could be anywhere in the world. |
| Andreas Kold Siggaard, the director of the Danish military drone producer Hecto Drone, said jamming the signal would not make a difference in stopping an advanced drone. “Jamming is not an option. There is not much you can do other than shoot them down or using some kind of kinetic impact, drone-on-drone combat basically,” he said. | Andreas Kold Siggaard, the director of the Danish military drone producer Hecto Drone, said jamming the signal would not make a difference in stopping an advanced drone. “Jamming is not an option. There is not much you can do other than shoot them down or using some kind of kinetic impact, drone-on-drone combat basically,” he said. |
| Denmark’s national police chief, Thorkild Fogde, said the force was on “high alert” and that the national operations staff (Nost), part of Denmark’s crisis management system, had been raised for the second time in a week. | Denmark’s national police chief, Thorkild Fogde, said the force was on “high alert” and that the national operations staff (Nost), part of Denmark’s crisis management system, had been raised for the second time in a week. |
| Danish police said the sightings on Wednesday night followed a similar pattern to the ones that shut down Copenhagen airport on Monday. | Danish police said the sightings on Wednesday night followed a similar pattern to the ones that shut down Copenhagen airport on Monday. |
| According to North Jutland police, “more than one drone” was seen near Aalborg airport flying with lights on. The first was seen at about 9.44pm local time and drones were still in the airspace after midnight. | According to North Jutland police, “more than one drone” was seen near Aalborg airport flying with lights on. The first was seen at about 9.44pm local time and drones were still in the airspace after midnight. |
| Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup airports remained open despite the drone sightings. | Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup airports remained open despite the drone sightings. |
| Frederiksen said the drone incursion that shut Copenhagen airport for several hours was the “most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date”. | Frederiksen said the drone incursion that shut Copenhagen airport for several hours was the “most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date”. |
| Authorities are still investigating who was behind the flyover, but Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement. | Authorities are still investigating who was behind the flyover, but Frederiksen said she could not rule out Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement. |
| On Monday night, Oslo airport was also shut due to drones. On Wednesday night, Norwegian police seized a drone that is understood to have flown within the exclusion zone of Oslo airport. | On Monday night, Oslo airport was also shut due to drones. On Wednesday night, Norwegian police seized a drone that is understood to have flown within the exclusion zone of Oslo airport. |
| It is not known whether the incidents in Denmark and Norway are related. | It is not known whether the incidents in Denmark and Norway are related. |