Suspicious Drone Activity Near Danish Military Bases Raises Fears of Hybrid Attacks
Denmark is grappling with a surge in suspicious drone activity after multiple unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted flying near sensitive military facilities, including the country’s largest airbase. The incidents have sparked fresh concerns over national security, NATO’s eastern defenses, and possible Russian involvement in hybrid warfare tactics.
Drones Sighted Over Karup Airbase
On Friday evening, drones were seen hovering above Karup airbase, Denmark’s largest military installation and home to about 3,500 personnel. The base houses the country’s entire helicopter fleet, airspace surveillance operations, and parts of the Defence Command.
The incursion forced authorities to briefly close the surrounding civil airspace to commercial flights, though officials said the move had no practical impact because no scheduled flights were affected. According to duty officer Simon Skelsjaer, the drone activity began around 20:15 local time (18:15 GMT) and lasted for several hours.
“The police cannot confirm where the drones originated as they were not shot down,” Skelsjaer told AFP, adding that investigators are working closely with Denmark’s armed forces to determine the source of the incursions.
Multiple Military Sites Targeted
The Danish Defence Ministry later confirmed that drones had been sighted near “multiple military facilities” overnight but declined to name the other locations, citing operational security. The sightings come only days after drones disrupted air traffic over major Danish airports, some of which also host military infrastructure.
On Monday, Copenhagen Airport was forced to shut down operations for several hours after several drones were spotted in its airspace. Norway’s Oslo Airport also temporarily suspended flights following suspected drone activity. By Wednesday, Denmark’s Aalborg and Billund airports had to close briefly, while three smaller airports reported drone sightings but continued limited operations.
Video footage from Aalborg even captured what appeared to be an unidentified object flying away as flights were grounded, intensifying public concern.
Growing Regional Pattern
Denmark is not alone in facing suspicious drone activity. Similar sightings have been reported in recent weeks over Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Lithuania. The incidents appear to follow a troubling pattern across northern and eastern Europe, where NATO states have been increasingly targeted by unconventional threats.
Only last week, Estonia and Poland called for urgent NATO consultations after multiple Russian drones reportedly crossed into Polish territory and Russian MiG-31 fighter jets briefly entered Estonian airspace. Romania also claimed that a Russian drone violated its airspace, though Moscow denied the accusation.
Hybrid Attack Suspicions
The Danish government has described the drone incursions as a possible “hybrid attack,” a term used to describe strategies that combine military and non-military tactics to disrupt a nation’s institutions, security, or infrastructure.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen suggested that a “professional actor” was likely behind the incursions, but he noted that the drones appeared to have been launched locally rather than flown in from abroad.
Hybrid tactics have been widely attributed to Russia in recent years, especially since its invasion of Ukraine. These include cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and indirect aggression such as violating airspace or sabotaging critical infrastructure.
Although Danish authorities stressed that no direct evidence links Moscow to the drone activity, suspicion remains high. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said earlier this week that “Russian involvement cannot be ruled out.”
Russia Denies Involvement
The Russian Embassy in Copenhagen has strongly rejected allegations of involvement, dismissing them as “absurd speculations” and calling the drone sightings “staged provocations.” Moscow has frequently denied similar accusations from NATO states, even when incidents were documented with radar and video evidence.
In the case of Estonia, Russia claimed its aircraft did not deliberately violate the Baltic nation’s airspace. Regarding Poland, Moscow argued that any drone crossings were accidental and not state-directed.
Still, NATO members remain on high alert. With multiple incidents occurring within a short timeframe across different countries, European defense planners fear a coordinated campaign designed to test air defenses, create uncertainty, and undermine public trust in national security systems.
Why Drones Are a Serious Concern
Unmanned aerial vehicles may appear small compared to fighter jets or missiles, but they pose unique challenges for defense forces. Drones are cheap to produce, hard to detect on radar, and difficult to intercept without risking collateral damage. Their ability to carry cameras or even explosives makes them an effective tool for surveillance, disruption, or sabotage.
For Denmark, the sighting of drones over Karup airbase is particularly worrying. The base is a critical hub for the nation’s air defense capabilities, and any breach of its security—even by small drones—raises the risk of espionage or interference with military operations.
Wider Implications for NATO
The recent wave of incidents underscores the vulnerability of NATO’s northern flank at a time when Russia’s war in Ukraine shows no sign of abating. While direct confrontation remains unlikely, hybrid tactics allow Moscow—or other hostile actors—to apply pressure without crossing the threshold of open conflict.
Analysts warn that such tactics could be used to test NATO’s readiness, stretch its response capabilities, and spread fear among civilian populations. For smaller nations like Denmark, with limited military resources, the challenge of countering persistent drone incursions is especially acute.
Conclusion
Denmark’s latest encounter with drones near its largest military base has highlighted growing concerns about hybrid warfare and the security of NATO’s northern states. While investigators have yet to determine the origin of the devices, the pattern of suspicious activity across Europe has raised fears of a coordinated campaign, potentially linked to Russia.
For now, Danish authorities are urging vigilance while continuing to investigate the incursions in cooperation with military forces. As tensions remain high across the region, the drone incidents serve as another reminder that modern warfare is no longer confined to battlefields—it can unfold silently in the skies above airports, cities, and military bases.