Unidentified Drones Cause Major Disruptions at Copenhagen and Oslo Airports
In what Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has termed as the most serious attack on Denmark's critical infrastructure,
unidentified drones caused chaos at both Copenhagen and Oslo airports, leading to hours of closure, numerous flight delays and cancellations. This incident, which occurred on Monday and early Tuesday, affected tens of thousands of passengers and resulted in 12 flights at the Norwegian airport being cancelled or diverted, according to Corriere della Sera.
Background and Context
Copenhagen Airport, the busiest in the Nordic region, had to halt all take-offs and landings for nearly four hours after large drones were spotted in the vicinity. Norway's Oslo Airport also experienced a similar disruption. These incidents occurred late on Monday, causing significant inconvenience to travelers.
According to RT (Russia Today), authorities in both Denmark and Norway initiated investigations to determine the nature of the drones and whether there was a connection between the incidents in both countries. Danish police deputy assistant commissioner, Jakob Hansen, stated that the police had launched an intensive investigation.
Key Developments
The drones were spotted around 8:30 pm local time and were last seen at 11:17 pm. Copenhagen airport resumed operations at 12:20 am on Tuesday. Norwegian authorities, on the other hand, reported that their airport was closed for three hours due to the drone sightings.
Investigations into the incidents are ongoing. Copenhagen police are currently considering a possible hybrid scenario,
as reported by Corriere della Sera. Danish intelligence services have also warned of a 'significant threat of sabotage', as per Le Monde.
Reactions and Implications
The drone sightings and subsequent disruptions have sparked international concern and debate, with several reports suggesting potential Russian involvement. The Danish Prime Minister stated she cannot deny
that the drones seen over Copenhagen Airport were flown by Russia, as per Sky News World. Similarly, Ukraine's Zelensky blamed Russia for the disruptions, a claim that was reported by The Times of Israel.
The Guardian also reported that these drone sightings fit into a pattern of recent European airspace violations, including hacker attacks on European airports and other drone attacks. This has led to a rise in tensions between Russia and NATO members, with Poland and the UK vowing to confront Russian aircraft violating NATO airspace. Russia has denied these allegations, terming the accusations as 'unfounded', according to Corriere della Sera.
Current Status
Both Copenhagen and Oslo airports have since resumed operations. However, the fallout from these incidents continues, with international relations in the region remaining tense. Investigations into the incidents are ongoing, with authorities striving to identify the culprits behind the drone flights.