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What we know so far about drones in Denmark? - summary
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Denmark faces “systemic” drone incidents brought by a “professional” actor seeking to disrupt airports and military installations, defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.
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Authorities have no evidence to confirm who is behind the incidents as they continue investigating the drone sightings.
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But Poulsen noted that “there are countries or actors who may have an interest in undermining our support for Ukraine” as he insisted “it is crucial we do not allow ourselves to be intimidated by Russia.”
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The drones appear to be potentially getting released in close vicinity to targets, posing additional questions about how they are operated and safety of critical infrastructure.
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The incidents appear to seek to “test boundaries, and create fear,” justice minister Peter Hummelgaard said, as he warned that “the threat of hybrid attacks is something here to stay.”
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Denmark is considering triggering the Article 4 of Nato treaty to convene a meeting to discuss the threat, after Poland and Estonia chose to do so earlier this month, but no final decision has been made yet.
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Ministers warned the nature of the incidents make it “completely unsustainable” for Danish infrastructure to be regularly put out of use, as they pledged to step up the country’s defences against drones.
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Officials were particularly pressed on their decision not to shoot the drones down, particularly over the Skrydstrup airbase which hosts F-35 fighter jets, arguing it was based on operational assessment at the time, but conceded they needed to get better at responding to drone incidents.
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On Friday, Denmark will join an EU meeting on the so-called “drone wall” to discuss regional cooperation and lessons that could be learned from Ukraine.
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Resolving the issue is increasingly urgent as EU leaders are expected in Copenhagen next week for an informal European Council meeting.
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Authorities dealing with 'professional' operator, defence minister says
But Danish authorities appear to be confident that they are dealing with a skilled, professional operator – and not just rogue privately-owned drones.
“There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time. This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones,” defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen says.
The officials are getting quite a lot of pushback over their decision not to shoot the drones down, particularly over the Skrydstrup airbase, which hosts Denmark’s fighter jets.
They say it was part of “an overall assessment” of the situation, stressing risks of taking drones down in busy areas.
Denmark considering asking for Nato Article 4 talks, no decision yet, defence minister says
Danish defence minister says the country has not yet made a decision on whether to formally ask for Nato Article 4 talks, as Poland and Estonia did that in recent weeks.
It is under consideration, defence minister Poulsen says, but confirms there’s active engagement with the EU and Nato on this.
There is a certain urgency to resolving the drone crisis as Copenhagen is set to host EU leaders on Wednesday next week. The security operation in place will be “very, very large,” the officials say.
As reported earlier this week (Europe Live Tuesday), the ministers also confirm that Denmark will take part in tomorrow’s drone wall meeting organised by the European Commission.
Curiously, the country’s defence minister appears to suggest that the drones may be getting launched locally, and not flying in from far. But this is still being looked into, he says.
Hybrid incidents 'here to stay,' ministers warn, as they plan to step up defence against drones
Denmark’s justice and defence ministers are briefing the press now, alongside army and police representatives, describing it as a systemic hybrid attack against Denmark.
They both warn that the risk of hybrid incidents is “here to stay” and likely to continue in the coming days and weeks, with the intention to “create fear, to create division.”
The national police chief also confirms that there were reports of incidents at military facilities.
The government will seek to acquire “enhanced capabilities” to deal with the emerging threat and update its legislation to allow infrastructure owners to take down drones more easily.
There will still be questions over the practicality of such moves, particularly in crowded or densely inhabited areas, but it will improve the legal situation. But they also level with the public to say that even with their capabilities, they won’t always be able to take them down.
But defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, insists there was no direct military threat against Denmark.
Responding to questions from journalists, the ministers also say there is currently no evidence to link the attacks to Russia, although they do mention in passing other incidents in Europe that have been attributed to Russia and say the incidents could be aimed at undermining Denmark’s support for Ukraine.
Morning opening: Denmark faces drones in its airspace once again
Jakub Krupa
Denmark wakes up once again to reports of unidentified drones in its airspace overnight, forcing a temporary closure of Aalborg airport late evening and prompting concerns over their presence in at least three other locations, including near military bases.
The incidents come just days after Copenhagen airport saw flights halted for several hours after reported drone sightings.
In a hastily convened late night press conference, authorities explained that there were some similarities between the two events, but could not offer more clarity on who was behind the incidents.
The Danish authorities are holding a press conference updating the public on their investigation right now, and I will bring you all the key lines here.
It’s Thursday, 25 September 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
