Russia has denied involvement after Copenhagen and Oslo airports were forced to close following drone sightings overhead.
The incursion in Oslo led to the closure of airspace above the airport for three hours, from 00:30 until early Tuesday morning, due to safety concerns. Operations later resumed as usual, Monica Fasting, the airport communications chief, told Norwegian news agency NTB.
Earlier on Monday evening, Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport was also shut down for four hours due to drone activity. Around a dozen flights were affected by the incident, with aircraft bound for Oslo diverted to other airports.
Shortly before 23:00, NRK reported that a drone had been spotted near Oslo Airport. Air traffic was moved to a single runway, Oslo airport spokesperson Karoline Pedersen told NRK. Police were alerted, and traffic briefly resumed before new diversions were reported around 00:30, according to flight tracker Flightradar24.
Oslo police later confirmed that a drone had been located "at a considerable distance from the airport", but still within the five-kilometre no-fly zone around airports. Police are investigating ownership of the device, and domestic intelligence services (PST) have been informed, NTB reported.
At Copenhagen Kastrup, operations were suspended shortly before 20:30 after two or three unidentified drones were sighted near the airport.
The airport confirmed on its website that it had reopened after the suspension, but warned of ongoing delays and some cancellations, advising passengers to check with their airlines for updates. Kastrup, located in the Danish capital, is the largest airport in Northern Europe.
Danish PM says she 'could not rule out Russian involvement
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday she "could not rule out" Russian involvement after drones were spotted over Denmark and other European countries in recent days.
"We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania, violations of Estonian airspace, and hacker attacks on European airports over the weekend," Frederiksen told reporters.
Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen. Credit: Belga/Benoit Doppagne
"Now there have been drones in Denmark, and they appear in Oslo and Norway as well. Therefore, in my view, this is a serious attack on critical Danish infrastructure," she said.
Frederiksen added that the intent may have been "to disrupt and create unrest, to see how far you can go and to test the limits".
Russia denied any suggestion that it might be involved.
"We hear unfounded accusations from them every time," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. "Perhaps a party that takes a serious, responsible stance should not make such unfounded accusations again and again."
'Investigating all possibilities'
At a press conference, Flemming Drejer, director of operations at Denmark’s PET intelligence service, stated that national authorities are investigating all possible causes.
"But it is clear that, given the current threat and what we are seeing on the international scene, this is something we are aware of," Drejer said in response to a question about Russia.
Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Russia sent drones over Poland earlier this month, several of which were shot down, as well as over Romania. Three Russian fighter jets were intercepted in Estonian airspace on Friday.
Anne Tønnes, director of the Copenhagen police, said it is something "extremely serious when you close an international airport for four hours.
Tønnes announced that an extensive investigation has been launched in collaboration with national and international authorities, including those in neighbouring Sweden and Norway, which also experienced a similar drone incursion.
NATO's Marc Rutte stated in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. "We do not want to see a continuation of this dangerous pattern by Russia, intentional or not, but we stand ready and willing to continue to defend every inch of allied territory," Rutte said.
