Norway’s main aviation hub, Oslo airport, was forced to close for three hours after drones were observed flying nearby, leaving passengers stranded and flights diverted. The incident came on the same night as a major drone incursion in Denmark, raising concerns of coordinated disruption.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre condemned the episode and confirmed that Russian aircraft have violated Norwegian airspace three times this year — the first such incidents in over a decade. He said the incursions, involving both fighter jets and smaller aircraft, were “unacceptable” even if they resulted from navigation errors.
Norwegian officials are investigating whether the Oslo drones were connected to the Copenhagen incursion. Authorities are also examining a separate drone flown in central Oslo by a visiting couple from Singapore, though police said it is not suspected to be linked to the airport shutdown.
Støre said the recent drone and airspace incidents highlight rising security risks in Northern Europe. While NATO and EU leaders stopped short of directly blaming Russia, analysts have warned that the events may fit into a wider pattern of hybrid threats facing the region.