Danish authorities are investigating the presence of a Russian warship near their coast after waves of drones disrupted airports and military facilities this week.
According to Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet, the Aleksandr Shabalin, a Ropucha-class landing ship, was observed about 12 kilometers east of Langeland and south of Lolland, just outside Danish waters with its tracking system turned off.
Ekstra Bladet is now reporting that while drone intrusions have plagued critical infrastructure and military sites over the last week across Denmark, the Aleksandr Shabalin, a Ropucha-Class Amphibious Landing Ship with Russia’s Baltic Sea Fleet, has been lingering, with its… pic.twitter.com/oMmun5qt7L
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 25, 2025
Armed with rocket launchers, automatic cannons, and anti-aircraft guns, the vessel can carry tanks and troops and has previously supported Russian operations in Syria.
The ship’s appearance coincided with drone flights that forced Aalborg Airport in Denmark, which also houses fighter jets, to close for several hours Wednesday night.
WATCH: Footage of an unidentified drone near Aalborg Airport, Denmark. pic.twitter.com/dE4qZaWnLX
— American Press 🗽 (@americanspress) September 24, 2025
Similar incidents were reported near Esbjerg, Sønderborg, and the Skrydstrup air base.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the incidents as a “hybrid attack” by a professional actor.
In a press briefing, Finn Borch, head of the Danish Security Intelligence Service, said authorities are unable to identify who is behind the drone attack. “But we can say that this resembles a model of hybrid warfare we have seen elsewhere in Europe,” he added.
The attack comes days after suspected Russian drones temporarily shut down Copenhagen Airport.
The incidents come amid a string of drone incursions across Europe, including Romania, Poland, and Estonia.
Earlier this week, Russia rejected claims that it was behind the drone attacks.
“Frankly, making unfounded accusations over and over again only leads to such statements no longer being taken seriously,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a daily press briefing. “Every time, we hear the same baseless claims. A side that claims to take a serious and responsible position should not be making such accusations time after time.”
