Officials in Denmark report that Copenhagen Airport remains closed, with at least 15 flights rerouted until the situation is fully addressed.
Published On 22 Sep 2025
Copenhagen Airport has been shut down following multiple sightings of unidentified drones in its vicinity, according to statements from Danish police and airport authorities. This closure has led to the diversion of approximately 15 flights to alternative airports.
“Since 8:30 pm local time (18:30 GMT), the airspace above Copenhagen Airport has been restricted due to the presence of two to three unknown drones. No aircraft are permitted to land or take off,” explained Lise Agerley Kurstein, the airport’s spokesperson.
Authorities confirmed that these drones are larger than typical consumer models. “We have observed three to four sizable drones operating over the airport,” noted Anette Ostenfeldt, a police duty officer, who added that the drones continue to move back and forth in the area. Police personnel are actively investigating the situation on-site.
“It’s unclear whether these drones are military or civilian, but their size exceeds what is commercially available to private individuals,” Ostenfeldt emphasized.
Airport officials have stated that the closure will remain in effect until the threat is neutralized, with no estimated time for reopening at present.
This incident coincides with a series of recent airspace breaches across Europe attributed to Russian aircraft. Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace without authorization last Friday.
Similarly, during a Russian air raid on Ukraine the previous week, Poland detected around 19 drones crossing into its airspace. The Polish Air Force, supported by NATO forces, successfully intercepted several of these unmanned aerial vehicles, marking the first instance of Russian drones being shot down over NATO territory since the onset of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Romania also recorded an incursion by a Russian drone into its airspace.
In response to these violations, the United Nations Security Council convened on Monday to discuss the escalating tensions related to unauthorized airspace entries.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, refuted claims that Russian jets violated Estonian airspace, asserting that the MiG-31 flights were conducted “in full compliance with international airspace laws.”
The Russian Defense Ministry supported this stance, stating that “objective monitoring confirms no breach of Estonian borders by the MiG-31 aircraft.”
During the Security Council meeting, NATO representatives condemned Russia’s actions, warning of the risks posed by such provocations. “Your reckless maneuvers endanger peace and could lead to direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia. While our alliance is defensive, be assured we are prepared to protect NATO’s airspace and territory,” declared UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
The North Atlantic Council is scheduled to hold a session on Tuesday to further address these security concerns.
