In recent weeks, there have been reports of mysterious drones flying over the airspace of European Union member states, causing concerns among the public and elected officials.
Last month, incidents of drones trespassing into NATO airspace reached unprecedented levels, with some of these incidents attributed to Russia. Some European officials believe that these events are Russia’s way of testing NATO’s response, raising questions about the alliance’s preparedness to handle Russian provocations.
On September 10th, a group of Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to scramble for interception and shoot down some of the devices. This marked the first direct contact between NATO and Russia since Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
A few days later, NATO jets escorted three Russian fighter planes out of Estonian airspace.
Subsequently, unidentified drones were spotted near airports, military facilities, and other critical infrastructure across the European continent. Russia has been linked to some of these incidents, although Russian authorities deny any intentional involvement or participation.
According to reports from the Associated Press, European authorities have not yet disclosed detailed information about the drone intrusions, with some countries only admitting to the incidents days later.
At times, authorities are unable to confirm eyewitness reports. Danish authorities received 500 sighting reports within a 24-hour period, some of which turned out to be stars in the sky.
Countries are racing to establish immediate response measures, including weighing the decision to allow authorities to shoot down drones. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on September 22nd that Poland would not hesitate to shoot down any flying object clearly violating its airspace, but would adopt a more cautious approach in handling unclear situations.
Ultimately, European defense ministers unanimously agreed to develop a “drone wall” along the border to better detect, track, and intercept drones violating European airspace.
The following are some recent unidentified drone incidents across Europe, including the drone incident that led to the consecutive closures of Munich Airport in Germany over the weekend:
Munich Airport, Germany: The airport reopened on Saturday morning (October 4th) after authorities closed it the previous night upon discovering two drones, marking the second closure in less than 24 hours. Delays were expected to last the entire day, affecting at least 6,500 passengers disrupted by the overnight shutdown.
Copenhagen Airport, Denmark: On September 22nd, a drone flying over Scandinavia’s largest airport severely disrupted air traffic in and out of the airport.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen did not rule out the possibility of Russian involvement, calling it the “most severe attack on Denmark’s critical infrastructure to date.”
Oslo Airport, Norway: On the same night, Oslo Airport reported a drone sighting, leading to all traffic being diverted to one runway. Authorities are investigating whether there is any connection between the incidents at these two major airports.
Between September 24th and 25th, drones were also spotted over four smaller airports in Denmark, including two military bases. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated that this was likely organized by “professional” operators conducting “systematic flights.”
Multiple Danish media outlets reported sightings of one or more drones near Denmark’s largest military base, Karup Air Base.
The Danish Defense Ministry declined to confirm the sightings near Karup or elsewhere, stating that, “for operational security and ongoing investigative considerations, the Danish Defense Command is unwilling to provide further details on drone sightings.”
German authorities are investigating claims of unidentified drones possibly monitoring critical infrastructure in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein. Reports from Der Spiegel magazine indicated that on September 25th, multiple drones were spotted above a power plant in the state capital, Kiel, as well as near the university hospital in the port city and a shipyard.
State Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack informed a state parliamentary committee that sightings of “various types and sizes” of flying objects were reported. Chief Prosecutor Stephanie Gropp stated that an investigation is ongoing.
Der Spiegel reported sightings of two small drones above the Kiel premises of maritime defense technology supplier TKMS.
It was also reported that a “formation of drones” was observed above the university hospital and a power plant, with other drones reported above the regional government building and a refinery in the area.
The media further reported that more suspicious drones were found above a military base in Sanitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state in eastern Germany.