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By Shane Croucher, John Feng, and Robert Birsel
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Danish defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen said a recent wave of disruptive drone flights near the NATO ally's airports and military installations are a "hybrid attack" and Denmark was considering activating NATO's Article 4 in response.
Article 4 calls for consultations between NATO members if, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened.
Why It Matters
The appearance of drones over Denmark comes days after Poland, Romania and Estonia complained of airspace violations by Russian forces, raising tension between the NATO alliance members and the Russian military operating in Ukraine.
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Russia denied responsibility for those incursions by drones and aircraft and Danish officials said they did not know who was flying drones over Denmark this week.
What To Know
Police in Denmark said drones were sighted over the course of approximately five hours overnight from Wednesday into Thursday at Aalborg airport, causing its closure, and at smaller airports at Sønderborg and Esbjerg. Drones were also seen at the Skrydstrup Air Station of the Danish Air Force and the barracks of the Jydske Dragoon Regiment in Holstebro.
It followed a drone incident on Tuesday night at Copenhagen airport, which caused major disruption to flights. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she could not rule out the possibility that Russia was behind the drone attack, an accusation Moscow said was unfounded.
Poulsen told a press conference on Thursday that the incidents appear to be coordinated and the drones were flown at critical infrastructure.
He said Danish authorities do not know who is behind the drone flights but noted that some countries opposed the support that NATO members offer Ukraine as it battles the Russian forces that invaded in 2022.
"Countries or actors have an interest in undermining support for Ukraine. It is important that we do not let ourselves be intimidated by that," the minster told the press conference, Denmark's Berlingske newspaper reported.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced last week that Denmark will acquire long-range precision weapons to counter the threat to Europe posed by Russia, though adding that there was no immediate risk of an attack on Denmark.
This map shows Danish airports and military bases that have reported unauthorized drone activity.
Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard told the press conference that the threat from hybrid attacks "is here to stay" and they were aimed at creating fear and discord, Berlingske reported.
Hybrid attacks usually employ a combination of actions such as sabotage, disinformation, espionage and cyberattacks.
What People Are Saying
Frederiksen told reporters on September 17: "There is no doubt that Russia will be a threat to Europe and Denmark for years to come."
Hummelgaard told the press conference: "The attacks we have seen in recent days are part of a series of deeply worrying episodes across Europe. It tells a very serious story about what kind of times we live in."
What Happens Next
Poulsen said Denmark had reached out to NATO and the EU but it had yet to decide if it would activate NATO's Article Four.
Update 9/25/2025 4:40 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
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