Denmark warns of systematic hybrid threat after drone attacks, but finds no direct foreign links
The drone activity is part of a broader pattern of incidents across Europe, with the justice ministry saying such hybrid threats aim to sow fear and discord.
Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that drone incidents that forced the closure of Aalborg Airport and affected several other airports in the country appear to be "professional and systematic," likely part of a hybrid attack, but posed no immediate military threat.
The incidents, reported late Wednesday, involved drones at Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg, Skrydstrup Air Base, and briefly at Billund Airport, prompting temporary airspace closures.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard, Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard, and National Police Chief Thorkild Fogde, Poulsen described the drone activity as indicative of a professional actor, emphasising that it does not constitute a direct military threat to Denmark, broadcaster DR reported.
"It certainly doesn't look like a coincidence. It looks systematic. There is still no direct military threat to Denmark," Poulsen said.
No direct links to foreign states
Hummelgaard said the drone activity is part of a broader pattern of concerning incidents across Europe and underscored the aim of such hybrid threats: to sow fear and discord.
On September 10, a suspected Russian drone strike hit Polish territory, prompting NATO to deploy fighter jets. Romania and Estonia made similar accusations, which Russia denied.
He added that authorities are investigating the incidents thoroughly while keeping all possibilities open regarding the perpetrators.
Hyldgaard and Fogde told the media that the Danish defence and national police had coordinated overnight surveillance and support.
Defence chief Hyldgaard explained that the decision not to shoot down the drones was based on safety considerations for the population and the military’s professional assessment.
Authorities have not yet identified the source of the drones, and no direct links to foreign states, including Russia, have been established.
"What we are experiencing now are drones that are potentially being released in our immediate area. I don't know where the drones came from, but they have not come from a long distance," Hyldgaard said.
The defence minister said the government has not yet made a final decision on activating NATO's Article 4, which allows any member state to request consultations when its security is threatened, but Denmark has already reached out to the alliance.