Denmark reports new drone sightings at armed forces locations. NATO boosts Baltic Sea vigilance

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — In a concerning development, Denmark’s defense ministry reported multiple drone sightings at various military sites over the weekend. This announcement comes shortly after NATO declared an increase in its surveillance efforts in the Baltic Sea region, a response to escalating tensions. The Danish defense ministry confirmed in its statement that it had deployed several resources following the drone activity observed from Saturday into Sunday night, although specific details regarding the number of drones and their locations remain undisclosed. This incident adds to a series of unexplained drone occurrences, including sightings above five Danish airports last week, escalating worries about security in Northern Europe amid perceptions of heightened Russian hostility. After a NATO meeting held in Riga, Latvia, on Saturday, Colonel Martin O’Donnell, spokesperson for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, stated that the alliance is set to enhance its vigilance using new multi-domain assets in the Baltic region, which includes Denmark. He emphasized that NATO leaders are maintaining constant communication with Danish officials regarding these drone sightings. As Denmark prepares to host an upcoming European Union Summit in Copenhagen, the Danish transportation ministry announced that civilian drone flights will be prohibited from Monday to Friday. This measure aims to mitigate the risk of misidentifying foreign drones as legal ones. Danish transportation minister Thomas Danielsen stressed the importance of this prohibition for maintaining public safety, stating, "We cannot accept that foreign drones create uncertainty and disturbances in society." Violating this ban could lead to fines or imprisonment for up to two years, although military and emergency drone operations are exempt from this rule. In a related development, the Danish defense ministry revealed that the German air defense frigate FSG Hamburg has arrived in Copenhagen to bolster airspace surveillance ahead of the EU summit. This frigate is part of NATO’s Baltic Sentry initiative, which aims to strengthen the presence of the alliance along its eastern borders. Germany has also pledged military support to Denmark for the summit, providing Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) capabilities, which utilize various detection technologies. Earlier, Sweden announced its intention to assist Denmark with military anti-drone capabilities, further reinforcing regional security. Reports of drone activity have prompted heightened public concern, with numerous citizen reports of potential sightings that remain unverified. Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard indicated that such flyovers aim to instill fear and division, and he mentioned the possibility of new legislation that would empower infrastructure owners to take down drones. While the origin of the drone activities remains unclear, both Denmark’s Prime Minister and NATO’s Secretary-General have indicated that Russian involvement cannot be dismissed. In response to these accusations, the Russian Embassy in Denmark denied any involvement. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned that NATO aggression against Russian or Belarusian aircraft would trigger a strong response. Furthermore, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reassured that Russia does not intend to attack Europe but will respond decisively to any perceived threats. As tensions continue to escalate, the international community remains watchful of developments in the region.