In Sweden, two drones were spotted overnight Thursday to Friday over the Karlskrona archipelago in the country’s southeast, home to the main Swedish Navy base and defence-related industries.
Mattias Lundgren of the local police told public broadcaster SVT that the drones were larger in size, similar to those recently seen in Denmark, and flashed red and green lights.
An investigation under aviation law has been launched.
Unmanned aircraft disrupt airspace over Sweden, Denmark and Norway
On Thursday night, Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark was temporarily closed after reports of a suspicious drone, forcing a KLM flight from Amsterdam to turn back and the cancellation of a Scandinavian Airlines route from Copenhagen.
Drones were also observed over Esbjerg, Sonderborg, and the Skrydstrup military airbase.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned what she called “hybrid attacks” and warned that such flights could increase, pointing to Russia as the main security threat to Europe.
In Norway, police seized a drone on Wednesday evening near Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, controlled by a foreign national in his fifties.
The drone was flying in a restricted zone close to one of the runways adjacent to the Norwegian Air Force base.
Investigators, together with the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), are examining whether the seizure is linked to Monday’s temporary closure of the airport due to suspicious aerial objects.
Norwegian civil aviation authorities said drones have rarely posed a threat to air traffic, making the recent events particularly serious.
Suspicious aerial activity raises concerns in France, Poland and Romania
Elsewhere in Europe, small drones were observed over the Mourmelon-le-Grand military base in France’s Marne department overnight Sunday to Monday.
The base hosts engineering, armoured, and supply units, and now operates a tactical drone training centre. French authorities said there is no evidence suggesting foreign interference.
The incidents follow previous incursions attributed to Russia into Poland and Romania, as well as Russian fighter jets entering Estonian airspace, intensifying regional alertness and safety measures.
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Sources: AFP, NRK, SVT, PAP, IAR, Visegrád 24, Reuters