Denmark is investigating a significant drone incident that forced the closure of Copenhagen Airport, the country's prime minister has described it as the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. The event, which occurred on the night of Monday, September 22, 2025, involved two or three large drones that appeared near the airport, leading to a nearly four-hour shutdown of all take-offs and landings. The incident caused major disruptions, stranding tens of thousands of passengers and impacting the Nordic region's busiest air hubs, as Oslo Airport in Norway also temporarily closed its airspace due to a separate drone sighting.
Official Responses and Investigation
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that the drone activity seemed designed "to disrupt and create unrest" and to "test the limits". While authorities refrained from officially naming a suspect, Frederiksen noted she could not rule out Russian involvement, pointing to a pattern of recent incidents across Europe, including drone incursions in Poland and Romania, and violations of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets. Danish police, led by Chief Superintendent Jens Jespersen, described the drone operator as a "capable actor" with the necessary tools and will, and are investigating several hypotheses, including the possibility that the drones were launched from a ship in the busy Baltic Sea shipping lane near the airport.
Russian Denial
Russian officials have firmly denied any involvement. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as "unfounded," suggesting that such accusations are made repeatedly without evidence. Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, characterized the incident as a provocation intended to push NATO countries into a direct confrontation with Russia. These events occur amidst heightened tensions between Moscow and NATO, following a series of airspace violations in recent weeks that have prompted the alliance to reinforce its eastern flank with additional troops and fighter jets.
Hybrid Threats
Western security agencies view the airport incident as part of a broader pattern of increasingly aggressive hybrid threats. These threats encompass not only physical disruptions like drone incursions but also cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and suspected espionage. The Norwegian security police (PST) stated the situation remains unclear but acknowledged routine contact with international partners. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed serious concern over the "ongoing violations of our borders", while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has pledged that the alliance will employ all necessary measures to defend itself.