Two of Scandinavia’s busiest airports shut airspace after large drones were spotted nearby, causing major travel disruptions. Copenhagen Airport paused all flights for nearly four hours on Monday after several drones were detected, halting arrivals and departures.
Denmark’s National Police Commissioner Thorkild Fogde told CNN the drones were operated by skilled handlers, not hobbyists. “This was not an accident of some kind,” he said. Danish police said the drones appeared from multiple directions, blinking lights on and off before disappearing, but no suspects have been found.
Oslo Airport was also closed for about three hours on Tuesday due to a separate drone sighting, with flights diverted while police investigate. Earlier, two foreign nationals were arrested in Oslo for flying drones near a restricted government site.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen did not rule out Russian involvement, saying she “cannot reject in any way that it could be Russia” behind the drones. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Europe’s critical infrastructure is at risk and promised a strong response.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called accusations “unfounded” and stressed Russia follows international flight rules, denying any violations.
The incidents come after Russian drones breached Polish and Romanian airspace earlier this month, prompting NATO to strengthen defences on its eastern borders. Authorities in Denmark and Norway are still investigating, with no confirmed link between the two drone events.