Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Sighted Above Denmark's Largest Military Base

A series of unexplained sightings of drones has persisted in Denmark, with reports emerging of one or two drones observed near and above the Karup military base, the largest air force installation in the country, on Friday evening. The origin of these aerial devices remains unknown, and authorities are investigating the incidents.

The Danish Prime Minister has characterized these occurrences as "hybrid attacks." A police spokesperson confirmed on Saturday that both police and military forces are collaborating on the investigation. The spokesperson noted, "We did not shoot them down," referring to the unidentified drones. Karup serves as a central hub for Denmark's air force, housing all military helicopters, air defense facilities, and various training and support units. Notably, the base shares its runways with the civilian Midtjylland Airport, which was temporarily closed due to the drone sightings, although scheduled flights were not disrupted.

Reports suggest that drones may have been seen at multiple military sites across Denmark. Further details on these sightings have yet to be disclosed. In addition to the incidents in Denmark, there have been reports of drone activity in Norway and Germany. A spokesperson from the Norwegian Armed Forces indicated that "likely" drone sightings had occurred near the country's largest air force base, Örland, although confirmation is still pending. It is believed that at least two drones were observed in a restricted area for approximately one hour before disappearing, and air defense units did not engage them.

In Germany's Schleswig-Holstein region, multiple drone flyovers were reported late Thursday night. The state's Interior Minister stated that investigations are underway, but there is currently no change in the security situation. Recent days have seen a rise in drone activity over Danish airports, with unauthorized drones reported over Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Sönderborg airports, as well as the Skrydstrup air force base. Notably, operations at Copenhagen Airport were halted earlier in the week due to large drones flying over the premises for several hours.

The Prime Minister referred to these incidents as potential "hybrid attacks," and there are currently no leads on who may be responsible for the drone activities. Russia has denied any involvement, despite recent reports of Russian drones entering Polish airspace, which were intercepted by NATO forces. Similar incidents of Russian drones breaching Romanian airspace have also been reported.

On the upcoming Wednesday, Denmark will host an informal summit of EU leaders in Copenhagen, followed by a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). In light of these drone sightings, the EU is keen to expedite the establishment of a defense system against unmanned aerial vehicles. On Friday, representatives from eight EU member states bordering Russia or Ukraine, alongside officials from Denmark and Ukraine, participated in a video conference discussing the proposed drone defense initiative. Russia's Foreign Ministry has expressed strong disapproval of the EU's plans, claiming that the establishment of a drone defense system would escalate military and political tensions across Europe, attributing the initiative to the personal ambitions and political maneuverings of the ruling EU elites.