Denmark’s armed forces announced on Saturday (September 27th) that unidentified drones were found near several military facilities on Friday night, including the country’s largest military base. This comes after a series of drone intrusion incidents near airports and critical infrastructure in Denmark recently. The Danish authorities are referring to these drone incidents as “hybrid attacks”.
A spokesperson for the Danish military stated on Saturday that drones were discovered at various military locations in Denmark on the previous night.
The police confirmed that the drones were spotted on Friday night above military bases such as Karup.
Karup Military Base is Denmark’s largest military installation and serves as the location for the armed forces’ helicopters, airspace surveillance, flight school, and support operations.
The police mentioned that the source of the drones has not been confirmed yet, and no drones were shot down. However, the police will collaborate with the military to conduct investigations.
This is the latest in a series of suspicious drone activities detected in Denmark, sparking concerns about the country’s vulnerability to aerial threats and raising worries about potential involvement of Russia.
On Thursday (September 25th), the Aalborg Airport was urgently closed due to multiple drone intrusions, leading to flight disruptions. Additionally, on Monday (September 22nd), the Copenhagen Airport was shut down for four hours due to a drone incident.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated on Thursday, “Denmark has experienced hybrid attacks in recent days. Drones have been sighted at various locations, including critical infrastructure, military, and civilian facilities. These are attacks we must anticipate, and there may be more in the future.”
“These attacks are intended to sow unease and division,” she added.
Similar sightings have been reported in Germany, Norway, and Lithuania.
Norwegian police stated on Saturday that they are investigating possible drone sightings near the Ørland Air Force Base in central Norway. The Ørland Air Force Base is the main base for Norway’s F-35 fighter jets.
“Base security personnel conducted multiple observations around the base earlier on Saturday,” a spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Headquarters informed Reuters.
(Translation assistance provided by the report from Agence France-Presse.)