Copenhagen Airport faced a major disruption as drones halted operations for nearly four hours. Investigations suggest the drones may have launched from nearby ships, including a sanctioned Russian vessel. The incident raises concerns of potential Russian hybrid warfare, with similar activities noted in Germany recently.
Drone Disruptions at Copenhagen Airport: Russian Ships Under Scrutiny
Drone Disruptions at Copenhagen Airport: Russian Ships Under Scrutiny
Several drones halted air traffic at Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport on Monday evening. Police are investigating whether the drones were launched from ships in the area. According to Danish TV2's analysis, three ships were nearby at the time, including a sanctioned Russian cargo ship.
Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport was paralyzed for nearly four hours on Monday evening as two to three drones hovered over the airport area. Thirty departures were canceled, and 50 planes were rerouted before the drones disappeared, allowing the airport to reopen.
Based on the number, size, and duration of the drones' presence, Danish police assess that a "capable actor" is behind the incident.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was quick to point fingers at Russia, and Police Inspector Jens Jespersen does not rule out that the drones could be part of Russian hybrid warfare.
"It would be foolish not to consider it. I cannot rule out that this is what it's about. Nor can I rule out if they came from one or more ships in the Øresund or the Baltic Sea. This is part of our considerations," he told Danish TV2.
When asked if there were any ships of interest in the Øresund or the Baltic Sea at the time, Jespersen responded on Tuesday:
"I assess that at any given time, there are ships of interest heading to or from Russia in the Øresund or the relevant part of the Baltic Sea. Such ships were also present last night."
Three Ships Under Scrutiny
TV2 has analyzed ship traffic in the area and identified three ships that may be relevant to the drone incident.
The first ship is the sanctioned Russian cargo ship Astrol 1, which sailed through the Øresund on Monday afternoon. The night before, it moved slowly and made irregular maneuvers in the Kattegat, according to the TV channel.
The second is the tanker Pushpa, sailing under Benin's flag and also sanctioned for transporting Russian oil. According to TV2, it was about 80 kilometers southeast of Kastrup at the time of the incident. Pushpa was later visited by a German naval vessel, which allowed it to continue after escorting it for four hours.
Expert: Why They Went Undetected
The third ship mentioned by the TV channel is the Norwegian cargo ship Oslo Carrier 3, owned by the Norwegian shipping company Bulkship Management AS with offices in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The ship passed north of the airport while the drones were circling, but in a comment to TV2, the shipping company denies any involvement.
The TV channel has also contacted the shipping companies for the other ships but has yet to receive any feedback.
Jacob Kaarsbo, a security policy analyst and former head of analysis at the Danish police intelligence service, assesses that it is likely the drones could have been launched from a nearby ship. He refers to a similar incident two weeks ago in northern Germany, where drone activity was linked to a ship within the Russian shadow fleet.
"The short flight distance is probably why they were not detected," he told TV2.
Even at Oslo's Gardermoen Airport, air traffic was halted by drones on Monday. Russia has denied any involvement in the incidents.