Denmark Girds for the Hybrid War of Russia after drone appearances: NPR

Copenhagen, Denmark – Trine, a hotel receptionist in the Danish capital, recently had problems sleeping. She is too nervous about the disturbing sound of non -created drones floating in the night.

“I live completely near the airport, so every night these helicopters and so around and around,” she said, made a whirring sound. “I really have to sleep.”

She is not the only whose nerves in Denmark were frayed.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says that a “hybrid war” is underway in Europe, which it describes “the most difficult and dangerous situation since the end of the Second World War.”

The government did not officially state who has performed the Drone flights, but Prime Minister Frederiksen said: “There is only one country willing to threaten us and it is Russia, and that is why we need a very strong answer.”

On Friday, the Danish Defense Infloor Service said that Russia is busy on Denmark with “hybrid warfare“Who defined the agency as a combination of political, economic, information and military means” to undermine a state while remained under the threshold of reinforced conflict. “

The United States and other NATO countries hurried this week military, law enforcement and technical means to the Denmark to protect meetings at high level of European leaders in Copenhagen. Officials considered the non -created drones that entered the airspace of Denmark as a serious security risk.

After 3 1/2 years Russian on full scale Invasion of UkraineEuropean countries such as these – KYIV’s supporters and military suppliers – are nervous that the Kremlin could bring the conflict in their own way. Denmark, a NATO and European Union member with around 6 million people, is alert after the recent raids of airspace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied plans To invade NATO countries. Speaking on Thursday in Sochi, Putin accused Europe of “Hysteria swelling” about a “Russian threat”.

But this, Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard warned of national television, is the “new reality” of Denmark.

Danes are very worried

“Everyone is talking about it,” says Trine about the drones, adding that her family is “very, very worried”.

NPR agreed not to use the last names of some of those interviewed in this story, because of the panic surrounding this security problem.

Trine says that being nervous has made an inventory of the emergency plans of her family. “We have prepared, we prepared,” explained them, checked their canned food supply, watering water and assessing their plan with other family members in case they have to evacuate their house in Copenhagen.

For the Trine family – who includes a “thick bulldog that can’t run”, she notes – would be the plan to regroup in her father’s house “far, far away in the country.” She says, “It’s a big house”, with “Room for everyone, me and my family, my brother and his family and my mother and everyone and the animals too.”

She says she has heard from some friends who have more extensive plans, including even leaving Denmark if necessary.

Save for an emergency

Like other Nordic governments, Denmark has long encouraged citizens to save sufficient stocks to survive at least three days without access to electricity, food or fresh water. Without the feeling of a direct threat, many people would be self -compliance with the fact that they actually actually do.

But that has changed. Because the drones first appeared on September 22, the guidelines were discussed on a large scale in the media, together with attempts to avoid panic. Residents seemed to take them more seriously than before, with headlines over runs on canned fish and battery-driven radios.

In a home shop in a suburb of Copenhagen, sales employee Peter Sandell says that 20 liters of water containers are a hot item. “This morning we had this, this, this and so full,” he says, gestures to a shoulder high level where the plastic jugs were stacked hours earlier.

In the neighborhood, the shelf for camping stoves is empty. Alejandra and Alexander, a few who also wants to be identified by first names, the last bite. The arms of Alejandra are full of fuel buses.

She says that they were not necessarily meant to buy one that day, but then they saw people walking out of the store with them and thought impulsively: “Ok, let’s just buy [it] In case. “

The couple explains that they had previously saved items such as water, but the drone incidents have encouraged them to hurry to complete the emergency list.

Make sure that hiding places are ready

The Danish authorities also catch up, says Jakob Hallgren, a former Swedish ambassador who is director of the Swedish Institute for International Affairs.

Sweden also went through a period such as it shortly after the start of the entire war of Russia on Ukraine in 2022, Hallgren explains. But then the country ran the risk again to be so close to the front line and invested a lot in things like renovating and expanding its network of bomb shelters.

Hallgren recommends that the Danish government is doing the same. “Living in Denmark that you might have – just like perhaps also in Sweden until a few years ago – thought a bit that you were shielded from these developments,” he says. “But this is clearly no longer the case. So if they have not done that, it is really high time to ensure that those hiding places are repaired and that there is good information about where you can find them.”

Down with the drones

Many Danes are disappointed that the government has not issued any orders to shoot the drones. Trine says she would like to help and said she’s joking with her police officer that she would like to borrow one of his weapons.

“He looked at me, [like] “Are you joking?” “She laughs.” And then my daughter – she is 20 – she said, “Aw, come on, dad give her a bazooka.” ”

Trine emphasizes that while she was kidding about taking things in her own hands, she certainly hopes that the Danish government will fall down the drones if they disturb the Danish skies again.