Copenhagen Airport Closed for Four Hours, 20,000 Passengers Affected by Drone Sightings

Copenhagen Airport experienced a significant disruption on Monday night, September 22, 2025, when sightings of two to three large, unidentified drones forced a four-hour shutdown of all take-offs and landings. The incident, which also saw Norway's Oslo Airport close its airspace for a period, led to widespread flight cancellations and diversions, impacting approximately 20,000 passengers at the Danish hub. Danish authorities are investigating the incursion, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described as the "most severe attack on Danish infrastructure so far."

Prime Minister Frederiksen directly linked the drone activity to a broader pattern of recent drone incursions across Europe and cyberattacks on airports, suggesting the motive was "to disrupt and create unrest... to see how far you can go and test the limits." While authorities have refrained from officially naming suspects, Frederiksen stated that Russian involvement could not be ruled out, aligning the incident with other suspected hybrid attacks.

Danish police reported that the drones approached Copenhagen airport from multiple directions, intermittently turning their lights on and off, indicating operation by a "capable actor." Investigators are exploring various hypotheses, including the possibility that the drones were launched from ships in the Baltic Sea, a busy shipping lane near the airport. Police opted not to shoot down the drones due to the significant safety risks posed by the airport's densely populated location, active flights, and nearby fuel depots.

The incident comes amidst heightened security concerns across Europe, following a series of suspected Russian drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace, as well as violations of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets. These events are seen by many as part of a "wider pattern of increasingly irresponsible Russian behaviour," as described by NATO, prompting the alliance to enhance air policing over Eastern Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the gravity of the situation, stating, "Just spoke with PM Frederiksen regarding the drones incursion around Copenhagen airport. While the facts are still being established, it is clear we are witnessing a pattern of persistent contestation at our borders. Our critical infrastructure is at risk. And Europe will respond to this threat with strength & determination." Despite the accusations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as "unfounded," with Russia's ambassador to Denmark suggesting the incident aimed to "provoke NATO countries into a direct military confrontation."