Drones in Denmark – Airport Disruptions Raise Fears of State-Sponsored Sabotage

Key Takeaways:

• Multiple drone incursions have disrupted Danish airports and military bases since 22 September 2025, affecting Copenhagen, Billund, Aalborg, and other strategic locations.

  
  

• State-sponsored sabotage is assessed as the most likely explanation for the incursions, which have been described by Danish government officials as a "hybrid attack" and "systematic operation."

  
  

• The tactics, locations, and timing of the incursions suggest deliberate efforts to test the responses of NATO air defences and undermine political unity ahead of the European Political Community meeting, which is due to take place in Copenhagen on 02 October 2025.

  
  

• Russian hybrid warfare tactics have escalated across Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Scandinavia in recent months, including cyber-attacks, arson campaigns, and drone incursions designed to disrupt operations and gather intelligence on NATO defence capabilities.

  
  

• European aviation and critical infrastructure face a heightened risk of similar disruptions in the short to medium term, requiring enhanced security measures including drone detection systems, strengthened cyber-security, and diversified supply chains to mitigate potential operational impacts.

Airspace Under Siege: Timeline of Recent Events

Since 22 September 2025, several high-profile drone incursions have been identified at airports nationwide, prompting authorities to implement a temporary ban on civilian drones entering Danish airspace. The incursions resulted in closures to several passenger airports including Copenhagen, Billund, and Aalborg, whilst military bases near Esbjerg, Sønderborg, and Skrydstrup also reported drone sightings on 28 September 2025. A full list of the affected locations and dates can be found below:

·         Aalborg Airport – 24-26 September2025

·         Billund Airport – 24 -25 September2025

·         Copenhagen Airport – 22 September 2025

·         Esbjerg Airport - 24 September 2025

·         Holstebro Airport – 25 September 2025

·         Karup Air Base – 27 September 2025

·         Skrydstrup Air Base - 24 September 2025

·         Sønderborg Airport - 24 September 2025

Each instance involved a small number of civilian-purpose drones, typically numbering in the single digits to low tens, entering restricted airspace for a few minutes before flying away towards unspecified locations. The airspace ban will remain in effect until 03 October 2025, when Denmark is due to host a European Union leaders’ summit and European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen. However, if future incursions are reported, the timing of this ban is likely to extend further.

State-Sponsored Sabotage: Causes and Effects

After the initial sightings in Copenhagen, Billund, and Aalborg, local security authorities reported that the flights were conducted by “highly skilled professional actors”. The motivations of these “professional actors”, however, remain unclear. Initial theories ranged from organised crime groups wishing to test state responses ahead of planned narcotics smuggling operations to individuals seeking to provoke disruption for personal satisfaction alone.

Senior government officials, meanwhile, remain highly alert to the possibility of state-sponsored sabotage, which remains the most likely explanation based on the timing, tactics, and locations of the reported drone incursions. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen referred to the incidents as a “hybrid attack” and part of a “systematic operation”, raising fears of potential involvement from hostile state-backed actors. Subsequently, when asked by journalists whether the Russian security services played any role in the incursions, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen refused to deny the possibility.

Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Denmark has provided over USD $10 billion worth of military aid to Kyiv, making the country one of Ukraine’s most reliable defence partners. This, combined with the country’s strategic location in the Baltic Sea, has turned Denmark into an increasingly valuable target for the Russian intelligence and security services. Over the past several months, the FSB and GRU have consistently targeted NATO countries in the Baltics, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia using “hybrid warfare” tactics including cyber-attacks, arson campaigns, and intentionally disruptive drone incursions.

Despite denying involvement in strong terms, Russia’s previous use of drones to test the military responses of NATO member states, such as the incursion witnessed in eastern Poland in early September 2025, suggest that the country is likely to have played a supporting role in the recent incidents witnessed in Denmark. The fact that incursions took place prior to the European Policial Community meeting, due to take place in Copenhagen on 02 October 2025, suggests a potential motivation to undermine European political unity, further indicating Russian involvement.

European Transportation in the Age of Russian interference: Risks and Realities

Airports across Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Scandinavia remain at high risk of incurring disruptions from hostile state-backed actors in the short to medium term as Moscow intensifies its attempts to undermine western support for Ukraine. The evolving nature of defence technology and military tactics means that drones are poised to play an increasingly central role in any future conflict between Russia and the West. As such, drones are used not only to disrupt operations for symbolic purposes, but to test air responses at strategically significant locations. This allows kremlin operatives to observe the patterns, timings, and tactics used by NATO in the event of an airspace violation, which can subsequently be used to alter future strategies for maximum impact.

In practice, Russia’s “hybrid war” strategy can assume a variety of forms, all of which can pose varying degrees of disruption to the European aviation sector. Signal jamming, cyber-attacks, and arson attacks by Russian-backed operatives have been witnessed in recent months, and could easily be replicated at major aviation hubs. However, a wide range of locations such as railway stations, ports, factories, and distribution centres also remain at risk of incurring similar threats and having their operations disrupted to a severe extent at very short notice.

These threats are especially grave given the recent deterioration of relations between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which could place Russia under greater pressure to consolidate gains lest President Trump resume previous levels of defence and financial support for Ukraine. To best mitigate the threat of drone incursions and other “hybrid warfare” sabotage tactics, businesses are strongly advised to implement protocols such as drone nets, enhanced cyber-security systems, and an increased physical security footprint at main entrances. Meanwhile, diversifying supply chains across a wide range of locations and assets can help to shield businesses from sudden losses in the event of major infrastructure disruptions, which appear likely to become increasingly frequent across Europe.

To find out more on how to protect your assets from drone-related disruptions, please contact Global Situational Awareness for further details.