Copenhagen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Sweden will assist Denmark with military anti-drone capabilities during this week’s summits in Copenhagen, following drone sightings last week that led Denmark to close several airports, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Monday.
Denmark is scheduled to host European Union leaders on Wednesday, with a broader European Political Community summit on Thursday. The country has already announced increased security measures around both events following drone incursions.
To enhance security during the summit, Denmark announced on Sunday that it would close its airspace to all civilian drone flights until Friday, aiming to prevent enemy drones from being mistaken for legal ones.
Why does Sweden link drone activity to Russian actors?
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that Russia is probably responsible for the strange drone flights over multiple Scandinavian airports before an EU summit in Copenhagen.
Speaking to broadcaster TV4, Kristersson mentioned that “the likelihood of this being about Russia wanting to send a message to countries supporting Ukraine is quite high,” but emphasised that “nobody really, really knows.”
He also said that “we have confirmation” that the drones that violated Polish airspace earlier in September were Russian. “Everything points to (Russia), but then all countries are cautious about singling out a country if they are not sure. In Poland, we know that’s what it was,” he stated
What recent disruptions have drones caused at airports in Denmark?
The incidents happened following the closure of Copenhagen Airport, Scandinavia’s busiest, last Monday evening due to drone activity. Subsequently, drones were observed at Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Sonderborg airports, along with Skrydstrup air base, prompting immediate responses from authorities.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the event as “the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date.”
Which other European nations have also reported unidentified drone activity?
Recently, multiple NATO and European nations have also reported sightings and disturbances due to unidentified drones.
The initial drone intrusion happened in Poland, leading to the temporary closure of airports, including Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, which serves as a transit hub for military aid to Ukraine. Unidentified drones flew over the Murmelon-le-Grand military base in the Marne department of France.
Moreover, drones were also observed above and around the naval base at Karlskrona, Sweden. In Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, unidentified drones were also spotted near the Danish border.
