Denmark reports new drone sightings at military facilities as European security measures tighten

Denmark reported new drone sightings at several defense facilities overnight Friday into Saturday, the Danish defense ministry said Saturday. The ministry did not confirm the locations, citing operational security and an ongoing investigation, and said it would not elaborate on drone sightings. Local media reported drones near or above Karup Air Base, Denmark’s largest military installation, and airspace around the base was briefly closed to civil traffic.

The defense ministry later clarified to public broadcaster DR that reports of additional drone activity at Skrydstrup Air Base and the Jutland Dragoon Regiment referred to sightings that did not occur overnight Friday to Saturday. The ministry also noted that, in the days prior, there were multiple unexplained drone activities and hundreds of possible sightings reported by citizens could not be officially confirmed. The situation has prompted authorities to ask the public to report any suspicious activity to police.

Earlier this week, Danish authorities reported drone activity over several Danish airports, including incidents that closed airspace briefly and temporarily grounded flights in Copenhagen. The pattern of sightings has heightened security concerns in northern Europe amid suspicions of growing Russian activity. Danish officials stressed that the flights and sightings are under investigation and emphasized that no definitive attribution had been made.

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the goal of the flyovers is to sow fear and division, and the government will pursue additional ways to neutralize drones, including proposing legislation to allow infrastructure owners to shoot down unmanned aircraft when necessary. He stressed that any such steps would operate within the rule of law and national security frameworks.

With the European Union summit looming next week, Denmark said it had accepted an offer from Sweden to lend Denmark a military anti-drone capability, although it did not provide further details.

In neighboring Germany, drones were reported in Schleswig-Holstein, which borders Denmark, from Thursday into Friday night. State Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack said police are significantly stepping up drone defense measures, coordinating with other northern states, though she did not provide further specifics as investigations continue. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters that his ministry is developing new anti-drone rules aimed at detecting, intercepting, and, if necessary, shooting down drones.

At NATO, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the alliance’s Military Committee, told a meeting in Riga that Russian aircraft and drones, on top of existing measures, will face a resolute response from NATO’s Eastern Sentry initiative. He said Russia bears full responsibility for such actions and expressed solidarity with allies whose airspace has been breached. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said the immediate priority today is air defense, noting a pattern of provocations including recent violations of Polish and Estonian airspace.

The episode underscores a broader push among European defense ministers to harden airspace security. Earlier this week, European ministers agreed to explore a unified approach to detect, track, and intercept drones along Europe’s borders and critical infrastructure, with talks about establishing a more formal, cross-border capability. Alongside this, EU and NATO partners continue to evaluate legal and technical options to deter and respond to drone activity, including by expanding surveillance and interception networks and improving information sharing among member states.

The events come as Denmark has faced a wave of drone reports in recent days, with hundreds of reported sightings prompting public warnings and calls for greater vigilance. Danish authorities have urged residents to report suspicious activity and to maintain alertness at facilities that could be potential targets. While authorities cautioned against prematurely attributing responsibility for the drone activity, the incidents have raised questions about border security, critical infrastructure protection, and the readiness of civilian and military systems to respond to aerial incursions. This evolving situation is likely to influence discussions at the EU summit and ongoing NATO planning as European countries adapt to a perceived shift in aerial threat patterns.