COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The Danish Ministry of Defense reported on Saturday that drones have been spotted at several defense facilities overnight. This follows similar sightings in Scandinavian nations earlier this week, which temporarily affected operations at a Danish airport.
While the Ministry did not specify the exact locations of the drones, some local news outlets suggested they were seen near the Military Calp Air Force Base.
According to the Danish Public Broadcasting Officer, drones were observed both inside and outside the airbase perimeter at around 8pm, as noted by Simon Skelkier, a mission manager for the Central and West Jutland police.
He mentioned that the airspace was closed to civil traffic for some time, although this wasn’t very practical since Calp isn’t currently serving civil aviation.
These repeated, unidentified drone activities, which also affected multiple Danish airports and Copenhagen from Wednesday to Thursday, sparked worries about security in Northern Europe amid fears of increased Russian aggression.
There were reports of drone activity on Monday nights in Copenhagen.
The Danish Justice Minister, Peter Hummelgaard, commented on Thursday that the aim appears to be to instill fear and division. He also mentioned plans to propose legislation allowing infrastructure operators to take action against drones.
For the upcoming European Union Summit, the Danish Ministry confirmed via X that Sweden has offered to provide military anti-drone support to Denmark.
In nearby Germany, several drones were detected in Schleswig-Holstein, the northern province adjacent to Denmark, between Thursday and Friday nights.
The state’s police are currently collaborating with other North German states to bolster drone defense measures, according to Home Minister Sabin Stalin Work. She mentioned the ongoing investigation without sharing further details.
German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz addressed the increasing threats to infrastructure and data networks, stating, “We are not at war, but we are no longer living in peace.” He did not specify a particular country responsible for these attacks.
He noted concerns related to drone flights, espionage, and serious threats to public figures across Germany and other European nations, as well as growing instances of sabotage and cyberattack attempts.
The “Tiergarten Murder” case in Germany involves Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted in 2019 for killing Zelimkan “Tornike” Kangoshvili, a Georgian citizen. Kangoshvili opposed the Russian army and sought refuge elsewhere. Krasikov returned to Russia in 2024 as part of a significant prisoner exchange between the US and Russia.
