Increased Russian activity over the Baltic Sea requires a strengthened defense preparedness. The Defense has stepped up its operations due to a rise in Russian activity in the airspace over the Baltic Sea. The interception readiness, which monitors unidentified aircraft heading towards Danish airspace, has been deployed several times in the first four months of 2024 compared to the previous two years. This information comes from a press release from the Ministry of Defense. Since the beginning of the year, the readiness has been activated 31 times, primarily due to an increase in Russian activity in the Baltic Sea. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (V) comments in the release that this increased activity does not pose a significant threat, but the situation is being closely monitored. He explains that the rise has occurred especially in connection with large NATO exercises and after Sweden’s and Finland’s admission to the alliance.
“The Defense’s interception readiness has been activated more frequently this year compared to the past couple of years, and we can see that the readiness is effective,” states the Defense Minister. When the interception readiness is activated, aircraft are sent up to identify unidentified aircraft approaching Danish airspace. This type of activity can also be described as surveillance flights. According to the press release, the Russian activity has taken place in international airspace, meaning there have been no violations of Danish airspace. Søren W. Andersen, the operations chief in the Air Command, emphasizes that there is good cooperation with NATO allies regarding monitoring of Russian aircraft.
“When Russian aircraft approach our areas of interest, we keep an eye on them to see what they are up to,” he explains. “We monitor Russian activity in the area and deploy the interception readiness to visually identify the aircraft every time they approach Danish areas of interest.” It is worth noting that Danish airspace was violated twice in 2021 and once in 2022, but there were no violations by Russian aircraft in 2023.”