Drones Over Denmark and Lithuania Heighten Fears as Russia Presses Ukraine Strikes
Danish and Lithuanian authorities report drone sightings near military facilities and airports amid ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, with NATO states reiterating airspace concerns.
Drones were spotted over Denmark and Lithuania on Saturday, heightening security concerns as Russia broadens its activity amid its campaign against Ukraine.
In Denmark, drones were seen above several military facilities overnight, prompting units of the Danish Armed Forces to respond. Earlier in the week, drone sightings disrupted air traffic at four airports and over Copenhagen, grounding flights for hours. In Lithuania, three drones were reported near Vilnius International Airport on Friday, according to Lithuanian broadcaster LRT. The incidents come as a pattern of intrusions in recent weeks, with NATO airspace violations previously logged in Estonia, Poland and Romania.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X Saturday that "Russia is testing Europe’s ability to defend itself and trying to influence societies so that people start thinking: 'Why are we giving everything to the Ukrainians when we can’t even protect ourselves?'" The sightings unfold as the Kremlin continues its strikes on Ukraine and as Western allies monitor potential spillover into regional security.
In Ukraine’s Donetsk region, more than 600 people were evacuated Saturday after air strikes targeted houses, high-rises and a church, local officials said. Governor Vadym Filashkin wrote on Telegram that in a single day the Russians shelled the settlements of Donetsk region 40 times. Ukrainian air defenses reported shooting down 97 of 115 drones launched over the country.
Separately, Ukraine said it struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Chuvash Republic, forcing it to suspend operations, according to a Russian official. The move comes after Moscow announced a partial ban on diesel exports through year’s end and extended an existing ban on gasoline exports, following a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries. The ban does not affect crude exports.
The sequence of events underscores the broader security challenges facing Europe as the conflict in Ukraine persists and NATO allies remain vigilant for potential Russian escalation beyond Ukraine’s borders.