"It started in Copenhagen. Around 8:30 p.m. on a Monday in late September, a few large drones were spotted flying near the airport. All takeoffs and landings were halted for almost four hours. More than 50 flights were diverted, and over 100 more were canceled. On the same day, 30 flights were disrupted at Oslo Airport in Norway due to another suspected drone sighting."
"Drones have also been spotted near air bases, but the impact has been most palpable in Lithuania, the Baltic nation of less than 3 million people, whose eastern border is less than 70 miles as the crow flies from Russia's westernmost edge. Over the past 10 weeks, the airport in Vilnius, the capital, has been shut down 15 times. And not due to drones, but balloons smuggling crates of cheap cigarettes over the border from Belarus."
"In one sense, this is a nuisance for travelers. However, analysts and political leaders say it's an example of Russia's hybrid warfare. This strategy involves using plausible deniability to undermine a society and can also include disinformation and cyberattacks. As Blaise Metreweli, the chief of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, said in her inaugural speech on December 15: "The new frontline is everywhere.""
Large drones and small balloons have repeatedly appeared near European airports, prompting temporary shutdowns, flight diversions, and cancellations. Copenhagen saw nearly four-hour halts that diverted over 50 flights and canceled more than 100; Oslo and Munich experienced similar disruptions, and Vilnius has faced frequent closures, often caused by balloons smuggling cheap cigarettes from Belarus. Analysts and political leaders characterize the events as elements of Russian hybrid warfare that use plausible deniability to disrupt societies and target critical infrastructure. The pattern raises concerns about escalation and potential future attacks that could directly endanger aircraft and passenger safety.
Read at Business Insider
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