On the evening of Sept. 22, airports in Copenhagen and Oslo temporarily suspended arrivals and departures following reports of drones near the runways. According to Flightradar24, air traffic in Copenhagen was halted starting from 8:26 p.m. local time. For four hours, planes were unable to take off or land.
Overall, 51 flights were diverted to Malmö, Billund, Aarhus, and Gothenburg, while another 109 were canceled. According to Flightradar24, an easyJet plane scheduled to depart for Paris remained on the taxiway for more than two hours before eventually returning to the terminal. The airport in Copenhagen resumed operations only after midnight, but delays and cancellations persisted.
Danish police reported detecting several drones in the area of the airport, operated by a “capable actor.” According to the law enforcement agency, the drones used different approach directions and light signals. An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is now underway.
A similar disruption occurred in Oslo's main airport, where a drone was also spotted near the runway. Flightradar24 reported that 11 flights had to be diverted and 19 were canceled. According to Norwegian media, the airport was closed for around three hours. Authorities in Denmark and Norway are investigating whether the incidents in the two countries are connected.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, responding to a question about possible Russian involvement, said she “cannot rule it out.” She recalled drone incidents in Poland and Romania, violations of Estonian airspace, and recent cyberattacks on European airports. According to Frederiksen, the drone incidents in Denmark and Norway appear to be “the most severe attack on infrastructure so far.”
In response to these statements, Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin called the suspicions directed at Moscow unfounded. According to the Kremlin’s representative in Copenhagen, Russia is not interested in escalation, and any interpretations characterizing the incident as a Russian action are aimed at “provoking NATO countries into a direct military confrontation.”