Denmark reports 500 drone sightings as Europe confronts alleged Russian incursions

More than 500 drone sightings were reported by Danish residents in the past 24 hours as Scandinavia confronts a series of aerial disruptions officials have linked to Russia. Officials described the incidents as a systematic operation and a hybrid attack that forced the closure of two Danish airports on Wednesday night, the second such disruption in as many days after drones disrupted Copenhagen airport on Monday, delaying or canceling hundreds of flights and leaving tens of thousands of passengers affected. Police have not yet confirmed all of the sightings, but authorities urged Danes to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to help investigators.

European ministers are scrambling to design a continent-wide drone-detection and countermeasures framework to counter Moscow's incursions, with Denmark, Finland, Poland and the Baltic states set to join Ukraine at a summit to discuss what EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has called the bedrock of credible defence. Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the country had already been targeted after multiple airports were disrupted on the same night, noting that Aalborg airport was shut for three hours and Billund airport for one hour. Drones were also seen near Esbjerg and Sonderborg airports, as well as Skrydstrup airbase and a military facility in Holstebro.

Poulsen told reporters there could be no doubt that the incidents point to a professional actor behind a systematic operation, describing them as a hybrid attack using different types of drones. He framed the episode as an arms race against time because technology is evolving rapidly. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has discussed the situation with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, who said NATO allies and Denmark are working together to ensure the safety and security of critical infrastructure.

Officials also acknowledged the challenge of spotting drones. Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the bloc must improve its ability to detect incoming drones and then determine how to respond, stressing that the threats are not from large, piloted aircraft but from evolving drone technology. Danish police are probing whether some drones were launched from ships offshore, with two Russian vessels seen in the area at the time. Moscow’s embassy in Copenhagen dismissed the accusations as absurd and described the incidents as staged provocation designed to escalate tensions. Justice minister Peter Hummelgaard warned that the threat from hybrid attacks is here to stay and said new laws would empower infrastructure owners to bring drones down themselves.

Poland’s government has warned that the current situation is the closest Europe has been to open conflict since World War II. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw would act if its skies are violated, including shooting down flying objects when they cross into Polish territory, while cautioning that allies must respond in a unified way. Earlier this month Poland downed three Russian drones that crossed into NATO territory, the first such action since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Tusk stressed that decisions must be coordinated with all allies.

The Kremlin has rejected accusations of operational involvement, and Russia’s ambassador to France told RTL that NATO planes routinely violate Russian airspace but are not shot down, arguing that “it would be war” to shoot down Russian aircraft. Moscow has also argued that the West has provoked Moscow and claimed that the West has manipulated events in Ukraine. At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump told the United Nations that NATO states could shoot down Russian aircraft if they intruded on their airspace, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a G20 foreign ministers meeting, asserted that NATO and the EU have declared real war on Russia and are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

Estonia reported Russian fighter jets entering its airspace last Friday, and Romania said a border region had been struck by a drone in recent days as European officials described a deliberate pattern of provocations aimed at unsettling NATO. Britain meanwhile dispatched military assets to shadow a Russian frigate and a cargo ship through the English Channel, with Defence Secretary Luke Pollard saying the Royal Navy would monitor Russian movements 24/7 to deter aggression and protect critical undersea infrastructure. As the continent weighs its options, officials say the Kremlin appears to be testing the resolve of NATO and its allies while avoiding a full-scale attack, signaling a fraught balance between deterrence and the risk of escalation.