Unidentified drones flew over Danish military sites including its biggest base during Friday night, the latest in a slew of sightings officials have called a \u201chybrid attack\u201d and hinted at possible Russian involvement.<\/p>\n
Drones were spotted at several military sites, a Danish military spokesperson told Agence France-Presse, refusing to provide other details.<\/p>\n
Police said one to two drones were observed on Friday at about 7.15pm local time near and over Karup airbase, the country\u2019s biggest base that houses all of the armed forces\u2019 helicopters, airspace surveillance, flight school and support functions.<\/p>\n
Karup is also home to parts of the defence command, according to the military\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
A police spokesperson, Simon Skelkjaer, said police could not comment on where the drones came from, adding: \u201cWe didn\u2019t take them down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Police were cooperating with the military in their investigation, he said.<\/p>\n
The Karup base shares its runways with the Midtjylland civilian airport, which was briefly closed though no flights were affected as none were scheduled at that hour, Skelkjaer said.<\/p>\n
Mysterious drone observations across the Scandinavian country since Monday have prompted the closure of several airports.<\/p>\n
Drone reports shut Oslo airport in Norway for several hours earlier in the week, after drone incursions in Polish and Romanian territory and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets.<\/p>\n
The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said on Thursday<\/a> that \u201cover recent days, Denmark has been the victim of hybrid attacks\u201d.<\/p>\n Investigators have so far failed to identify those responsible, but the Danish defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said on Thursday the flights appeared to be \u201cthe work of a professional actor\u201d.<\/p>\n Frederiksen has pointed the finger at Russia: \u201cThere is one main country that poses a threat to Europe\u2019s security, and it is Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n Moscow said on Thursday it \u201cfirmly rejects\u201d any suggestion it was involved in the Danish incidents. Its embassy in Copenhagen called them \u201ca staged provocation\u201d in a post on social media.<\/p>\n The Danish justice minister, Peter Hummelgaard, said earlier this week the aim of the attacks was \u201cto spread fear, create division and frighten us\u201d.<\/p>\n The drone flights began just days after Denmark<\/a> announced it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, as Russia would pose a threat \u201cfor years to come\u201d.<\/p>\n Hummelgaard said Copenhagen would also acquire new enhanced capabilities to detect and neutralise drones.<\/p>\n