Vladimir Putin has increasingly ordered drone incursions in Europe over the last few months as Russia ramps up what officials say is its hybrid war with countries on the continent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the pattern as ‘hybrid warfare’. She said Russia’s goal is to ‘sow division’ inside Europe.
She did not accuse Moscow of being behind every flight, but said the aim was clearly to unsettle European countries and weaken unity.
Yesterday, Brussels Airport, the busiest in Belgium, was forced to shut after drone sightings. Operations in a smaller airport in Liege also came to a halt after drones were spotted.
The country’s defence minister, Theo Francken, was adamant that professionals caused the disruptions and said they were carried out to destabilise the country.
It led the interior minister, Bernard Quintin, to ask prime minister Bart De Wever to convene the National Security Council. He also stated that the incident necessitated a ‘coordinated, national response’.
Although the airport reopened this morning, there are still major delays with thousands of passengers left stranded.
On Sunday, Francken said experts were probing drone sightings over the Kleine Brognel air base in north-east Belgium. Last week, there were two sightings over a military air base in the south-east.
The country also reported drones over a military base near the German border.
Since September, several countries have reported suspicious drone activities and illegal incursions into airspace.
Yesterday, Brussels airport, Belgium’s busiest was forced to shut after drones were spotted, leaving passengers stranded
Russian MIG-31 fighter jets above Estonia’s airpace on September 19. Vladimir Putin has been accused of ordering several incursions into Europe
Vladimir Putin has been accused of attempting to unsettles European countries with his ‘hybrid war’
At the end of last month, Polish MiG-29 fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea. Days before that, the army had reported a similar incident.
During an attack on overnight attack on Ukraine on September 9, over 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland.
NATO responded by sending F-35 and F-16 jets, helicopters and a Patriot missile battery to reinforce the area. Warsaw also requested consultations under NATO’s Article 4, which permits allies to discuss threats to their security.
On 19 September, Estonia reported that three powerful Russian MIG-31 fighter jets had violated its airspace and stayed there for a total of 12 minutes.
The incident sparked World War Three concerns when one of the falling drones that were shot down hit an elderly couple’s home, destroying the roof.
Experts have acknowledged that war could have broken out between Russia and NATO had they been killed.
On September 10, the Czech army also reported a spike in unidentified drones over sensitive military facilities.
In Denmark, drone activity disrupted six airports that month, including Copenhagen Airport, the busiest travel hub in the Nordic region. It left around 20,000 passengers stranded.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a hybrid attack on her country. He also said it was ‘the worst attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date.’
The roof of an elderly couple’s home was completely destroyed after falling Russian drones struck it
Copenhagen Airport was forced to close, leaving 20,000 passengers uncertain about their journeys
Lithuania was forced to close Vilnius Airport and nearby border checkpoints with Belarus on October 28, after strange aerial objects, including helium balloons, entered its skies. The country said this was one of four similar incidents in a single week.
The country also accused Russia of flying two military aircraft, a Su-30 fighter jet and an II-78 refuelling tanker, into its airspace for around 18 seconds in October.
Its president, Gitanas Nauseda, said: ‘I strongly condemn the violation of Lithuanian airspace by the fighter jet and transport plane of the Russian Federation from a Kaliningrad region site.’ He also called it a ‘blatant breach’. Moscow has denied the report.
Germany has faced repeated reports of drones this autumn.
Airports in Berlin and Bremen briefly shut down after sightings, while Munich also saw suspicious activity.
A confidential police report mentioned multiple incidents at military sites, raising concerns about espionage or sabotage.
Officials in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein confirmed drones had appeared overnight in late September and said the purpose was under investigation.
Elsewhere in northern Europe, Oslo Airport in Norway briefly paused landings after a drone was seen near the runway.
Last month, the country’s army reported that two NATO F-35s were scrambled to intercept a Russian spy plane. The jets, from NATO’s Quick Reaction Alert, identified an IL-20 COOT-A flying in international airspace above Finnmark.
Two NATO F-35s were scrambled to intercepted a Russian spy plane that had flown into Norway’s airspace
In mid-September, Romania scrambled aircraft when a drone crossed into its airspace during Russian strikes on Ukrainian border towns.
Spanish authorities also halted flights at Palma de Mallorca Airport on October 20 after drone sightings.
European leaders and NATO analysts believe the activity is part of a wider effort by Russia to test air defences and intimidate European countries while the war in Ukraine continues.
Several nations have increased radar surveillance, put military units on standby and launched joint monitoring operations with NATO allies.
Officials across the continent have urged NATO leaders to do more in response to Russia’s continued provocations.
Latvia’s president has said it is time for a shift in approach from ‘air policing’ to full ‘air defence’.
In September, a NATO commander also said the organisation could soon make it easier for member countries to shoot down Russian aircraft.
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said: ‘[Air defence] could be an option, depending on what will be the final assessment on what is being investigated right now. I would say that this could be one of the options but not the [only] option.’
Countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and Germany have warned Russia that it would not hesitate to shoot down aircraft that violate its airspace.
Russian officials, however, have warned that the shooting down of any of its aircraft could amount to war.