Drones disrupt Danish airports as tensions with Russia escalate in Northern Europe

A fleet of drones prompted the closure of several Danish airports overnight, signaling a new flashpoint in a widening pattern of Russian activity in Europe. Danish authorities diverted or canceled flights and halted operations at airports including Aalborg and Billund as encounters were reported around the region. Copenhagen, which hosts a meeting of European Union leaders next week, heightened security and drew up potential military consultations with NATO as officials considered Article 4 discussions to assess a collective response. Danish officials said the drones were not shot down to avoid the risk of stray ordnance injuring people on the ground.

The incursions were described as ongoing and highly irregular. Drones were reported flying toward Aalborg and Billund, where Danish F-16 and F-35 jet fighters are based, as well as near Esbjerg, Sonderborg, Skrydstrup airbase and a military facility in Holstebro in western Jutland. Flight-tracking services said several flights were diverted or canceled — for instance, Flight KL1289 to Amsterdam was rerouted and Flight SK1225 from Copenhagen was canceled — as authorities monitored the situation through the night and into Friday morning. A rescue helicopter operator said drones were seen over the North Sea and could have been launched from a vessel in those waters.

In parallel with the Danish drill, a Russian navy vessel was observed off the southern Baltic coast, with its AIS transponder reportedly switched off. The Aleksandr Shabalin, a Ropucha-class landing ship, was tracked off Langeland as the drones swirled over northern Denmark. Danish intelligence officials have cautioned that the risk of espionage and sabotage remains high, noting that such activity has been seen elsewhere in Europe and could be replicated in Denmark as security concerns rise ahead of the EU leaders’ meeting. Russia has denied involvement, calling speculation “absurd,” even as Moscow leaders and diplomats publicly berate Western actions and threaten wider confrontations.

In Berlin, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia and China have expanded capabilities for warfare in space, suggesting that adversaries could disrupt or disable satellites used by European military forces. He spoke at a space conference amid reports that Russian satellites were shadowing German communications assets, a development that follows a broader Western assessment of intensified Kremlin pressure operations. German officials said two Russian Luch/Olymp satellites appeared to be tracking Intelsat hardware used by the German armed forces and that satellite incapacitation remains a strategic threat.

The drone activity is viewed by NATO allies as part of a broader pattern intended to pressure Ukraine’s supporters to accept Moscow’s terms for a settlement. Countries within the alliance were expected to discuss plans for a so-called drone wall, a concept aimed at countering aerial incursions with collective defense measures. Paris and other capitals have urged caution while calling for coordinated responses that avoid a direct confrontation but deter future incidents. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron suggested that NATO members must respond more forcefully to Russia’s actions, though he provided few specifics on potential steps beyond reinforcing unity and readiness. Macron urged allies not to send the message that eastern members face greater risk than Western ones, a reference to Poland, Estonia and Romania as potential flashpoints.

The bulk of the drone activity reported in recent weeks has involved incursions into Polish, Estonian and Romanian airspace, with Denmark now drawn into what Danish officials described as a state-backed pattern of disruption intended to pressure Western governments to negotiate on Russia’s terms. Danish authorities have said the risk of further incidents remains elevated and that additional security measures are being considered as the EU prepares to host leaders next week. The Danish Security Intelligence Service said in a news conference that Denmark should not be surprised to see continued attempts at covert operations and that the country will remain vigilant as the situation evolves.

The drone sightings come after Denmark reduced its imports of Russian oil, a step that officials in Copenhagen described as part of a broader Western stance in response to Moscow’s aggression. Latvia’s foreign minister, Baiba Braze, indicated that Denmark had informed its allies the incursions were a state-led act, a claim Russia dismissed as baseless. As airspace over Aalborg and other Danish bases remained restricted, police and security personnel increased presence around Copenhagen Airport, where several flights were diverted or delayed. The security posture reflects a wider effort to deter potential cyber and physical disruptions as NATO and EU members reassess their collective defense and deterrence posture in northern Europe.