Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has confirmed that Russia is engaged in a hybrid war against Europe, and that the situation is the most challenging and threatening since the Second World War. This caution is issued following the occurrence of the odd drone incidents around the Danish airports and military bases that led to the convening of the emergency meetings by the European leaders in Copenhagen.
Denmark announces hybrid warfare due to unidentified drone attacks
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged Europe to prepare to fight back the hybrid war being waged by Russia, but other political and military leaders in the major continents have urged restraint in getting into an escalatory whack-and-counter-whack fight with Moscow. Frederiksen told reporters that he hoped that everyone has now realised that there is a hybrid war and that one day it will be Poland, the next day it will be Denmark, and next week he probably will see sabotage or a drone flying.
According to the Danish Defence Intelligence Service, Russia is exerting pressure on Denmark that is a form of hybrid warfare, which the agency gave the definition as a blend of political, economic, information, and military actions to sabotage a state, but not escalating to the level of armed conflict. Other members of the NATO alliance, in turn, sent military, law enforcement, and technical aid to Denmark this week to secure top-level conferences of European leaders.
People hoard emergency supplies due to security concerns
Due to the unknown manifestation of drones, many Danes are reconsidering their individual security and hoarding emergency supplies. Copenhagen, Trine is a hotel receptionist who has been experiencing sleeping problems in the recent past, since she often gets disturbed by strange noises during the night, possibly because some drones are flying around the area, and her family is ready to evacuate.
The leaders of Europe were divided in reaction to Russian provocations
French President Emmanuel Macron pressed the European Union to exercise circumspection in the Copenhagen summit. Macron said that he believed we all must be very careful as we are in an era of confrontation, with much hybridity. This is the reason why we need to be strong to discourage any forms of aggression, yet we need to be very careful and avoid any form of escalation.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was also not alarmed by this, saying that, despite all that, we should think calmly. I believe we are not supposed to react to provocations. Of course, we have to prepare ourselves; that is true. Hybrid warfare refers to the application of both conventional means, including tanks and missiles, and nonconventional ones, like attacks on the internet and misinformation on the internet.
Security experts debate Russia’s military capabilities
A special radar system was installed at the airport to aid in keeping watch before the Copenhagen meeting. A week ago, the airfield was shut down due to unidentified drones, and these interruptions were considerable. Other countries that deployed aircraft, ships, and air defence systems to Denmark before the talks were France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, leaders and intelligence agencies thought Russia would be able to launch an attack in Europe within three to five years, and that President Vladimir Putin has been determined to test NATO amidst questionable commitment to the organisation by the United States President Donald Trump.
The hybrid warfare statement of Denmark reflects the increasing exposure of Europe to the Russian techniques of intimidation that confute the boundaries between peace and conflict. As European leaders are still torn about the response strategy, the enigmatic drone attacks indicate the ability of Moscow to induce fear and uncertainty without directly engaging in military conflict.