Drone dilemma: How Russia’s ‘hybrid war’ is using fear to destabilise Europe

<p>As Moscow’s suspected drone incursions threaten chaos, Europe faces a dilemma: respond and risk escalation, or face accusations of weakness</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/22/this-is-europe-sign-up-guardian-email-updates">Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up here</a></p><p>When <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/03/munich-drone-sightings-force-airport-to-cancel-flights-in-latest-europe-disruption">Munich airport had to close</a> on 2 October after a suspected drone incursion, dozens of flights were cancelled and thousands of passengers left stranded on the eve of a German national holiday and the famous Oktoberfest.</p><p>A week earlier, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/23/drone-sightings-cause-disruption-delays-norway-denmark-airports">Copenhagen and Aalborg airports</a> were closed following sightings of “unmanned aerial systems” in Danish airspace. In the month since a swarm of Russian drones violated Polish airspace – three were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/poland-shoots-down-drones-over-its-territory-amid-russian-attack-on-ukraine-says-military">shot down</a> – a rash of similar incidents has been reported across Germany, the Baltic and Nordic countries, often over power plants and military bases.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/08/this-is-europe-russia-hybrid-war-destabilise-europe">Continue reading...</a>