The Aalborg Airport in Denmark was temporarily closed for the second consecutive night due to a suspicion of drone presence. Authorities acknowledge that they do not yet know how to handle these incidents, which question the safety of critical infrastructure.
„This is what I would define as a hybrid attack. It is a new reality for Denmark,” warned Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, without attributing blame to anyone, as there is no concrete evidence, writes BBC.
A Drone Network Above Jutland
Since the beginning of the week, the presence of drones has been reported at several airports - Aalborg, Billund, Sonderborg - as well as above military bases, including Skrydstrup, where F-35 and F-16 aircraft are located. Even headquarters of the Dragoon regiment in Holstebro and oil platforms in the North Sea have been targeted.
However, no drone has been shot down, with the military citing risks to the population.
Kjeld Jensen, from the drone center at the University of Southern Denmark, admits that it is embarrassing that Denmark's vulnerabilities have been exposed but believes that the police and the military have acted correctly. "I wouldn't shoot down drones over an urban area or an airport because they crash and, having fuel or batteries, they can cause fires - a risk that must be taken into account," he says.
Denmark's cautious approach visibly differs from that of Poland, for example. BBC notes that Norway, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania, countries on the eastern flank of NATO, have recently been subjected to forms of hybrid warfare. British journalists point out that Estonia and Poland have invoked Article 4 of NATO, after Russian warplanes entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, and around 20 Russian drones violated Polish airspace, with some being shot down.
Russian Ship with Disabled Transponder
Danish media revealed an element that amplifies suspicions: a Russian landing ship from the Baltic Fleet, Alexander Shabalin, was spotted about 12 kilometers south of the Langeland and Lolland islands with its transponder turned off. The ship, armed with missiles, cannons, and capable of transporting tanks and troops, remained in the area for several days, precisely during the drone incidents. The same ship has been used in Syria for personnel and equipment transport.
Jacob Kaarsbo, former chief analyst in Danish military intelligence, suggests that the presence of the ship could serve multiple purposes: observation, deterrence, or diversion, while attention was focused on civilian tankers suspected of supporting drone operations.
After being located by helicopter, the Russian ship moved northeast, but with its identification system deactivated, and its current course remains unknown.
Authorities in Copenhagen have not confirmed the involvement of the Russian ship, but Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently warned that Russia "will be a threat to Europe and Denmark for many years."