Several unidentified drones have closed the airspace at Copenhagen Airport on Monday evening, which aroused concerns that Russia could be behind the overflown over the largest Scandinavia airport.
Nothing indicates that operators in two to three drones intended to harm anyone, said the police, and the drones disappeared after several hours. But the incident caused a major disruption to air traffic in and outside the airport.
Although he was not immediately clear who was behind the overflight, the Prime Minister of Denmark and NATO secretary general said that Russian participation could not be excluded. And now, Denmark – already at the forefront because of its proximity to Russia – will join a group of leading countries on Friday to discuss the European Union plans for a “drone wall”.
Danish Prime Minister Put Frederiksen called him “the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date”.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he was “too early to say” if Russia was involved, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has rejected such suggestions.
“Whenever we hear unfounded accusations,” he said in a call on Tuesday with journalists, adding that “a party that occupies a serious and responsible position should not make such unfounded accusations”.
‘A capable actor’
Officials have chosen not to shoot drones because the risk was too large due to the airport full of passengers, aircraft on tracks and fuel deposits nearby, Jespersen, main police inspector of the Copenhagen police, said at a press conference.
Jespersen described operators as “capable actor” and said they seemed determined to show their skills and possibly practice their techniques. The lights of drones would have excited and extinguished and would have seemed to engage in different flight models.
“All this indicates that you are not there to attack anyone, but you are there to show you and maybe training yourself,” he said about operators.
The two to three drones seemed to have piloted many kilometers to reach the airport. Investigators examine how drones have reached the airport – whether on the floor or perhaps by boat.
Airport flights resumed early Tuesday, although delays and cancellations were continued throughout the day.
In 2023, Gatwick Airport in London closed its track for almost an hour after a drone was reported nearby. In December 2018, more than 140,000 travelers were blocked or delayed during the Christmas season after dozens of drone observations closed Gatwick for three consecutive days.
Increased safety problems
Safety problems in northern Europe are increased following an increase in Russian attack.
NATO on Tuesday warned Russia that it would use all means to defend itself against any other violation of its airspace after the Downing earlier this month of Russian drones on the report of Poland and Estonia on an intrusion of Russian fighter planes last week.
“And here we see a clear scheme: Russia tests European borders, by also surveying our determination and undergoing our security throughout,” said Anitta Hipper, spokesperson for the European Commission on Tuesday.
The incident of September 10 in Poland was the first direct meeting between NATO and Moscow since Russia launched a large -scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. He was boiling leaders across Europe, raising questions about the preparation of the Alliance against Russia.
