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The troubling question preoccupying many who have observed them above is: what's behind them?

Vegard Rabban had little doubt about what appeared before him when a mysterious scarlet illumination showed up between his residence and outbuilding on Norway's west coast one chilly evening in late September.

The father-of-three, a fisheries worker and emergency responder, was returning with his adolescent boy home from soccer training when they were stopped in their tracks by something above in Norway's transparent atmosphere.

"Near the outbuilding and residence I react to an unusual illumination that isn't usually present. My son and I immediately recognize it's a flying device," he explained. "We remain stationary briefly and observe and we see the red lights. I was able to discern it was substantial in size. Maybe 1.5 metres wide."

As a regular drone user, he knew perfectly well of the restrictions near his residence close to a local airfield, an important facility for Nato and Norway's aerial defense.

Growing Concerns

It was uncommon to witness a flying device moving through nighttime skies. Yet only after the following day, when he learned of the unauthorized drone flights at the country's aviation facilities, that he started to think more about it.

His children felt anxious. He tried to calmly explain. "As it stands now, we are removed from the conflict that's occurring but I suspect someone is watching us and seeking to understand how we respond to drones," he commented.

The witness states he doesn't feel frightened yet, but the incidents have already had various emotional consequences on local residents. He thinks the situation in the European continent could deteriorate rapidly. "With increasing sightings the flying devices, more people are asking what's taking place. They feel inquisitive."

Broad Distribution

Since three drones were shot down in Polish airspace last month, observations of remotely piloted aircraft have spread across the European continent, comprising incidents that have shut down important airfields.

The head of government addressed the nation subsequent to the suspension of the main Danish aviation facility. "We're at the start of a hybrid war against our region," she declared.

An incursion over the German airfield on Thursday required flight regulators to halt activities, leading to the cancellation of 17 flights and disrupting travel for thousands of air travelers.

Historical Comparisons

The intrusions in Scandinavia display an informative historical context, commented a university professor in the field of mental health.

"It has been said that historical events don't duplicate, but it rhymes – and what we are currently seeing over northern Europe is echoes from the past," he stated. "Historical records show of aerial phenomenon anxieties over this region where the responsible party was believed to have been either the Russian Federation or the historical superpower."

In the nineteen-thirties it was "mysterious flying machines" that created anxiety, believed to be Russian reconnaissance planes on surveillance operations as a prelude to a military attack.

"Numerous such accounts align with recognized cosmic phenomena like Venus low in the horizon," said the researcher. "No aircraft of that period could have continued flying for the periods that witnesses reported. Advancing to the mid-forties and Scandinavian nations were experiencing anxiety about numerous reports of 'mysterious projectiles'."

Emotional Effects

Furthermore, there's a psychological impact that is insufficiently acknowledged, said a research lead specializing in drone technology and culture.

"I believe the violations are a method to frighten and to challenge," she noted. "So drones kind of operate in this ambiguous area where they assert their presence, their capabilities, they show that defenses can be penetrated, but they haven't yet crossed into complete military action that is occurring in the ongoing conflict."

A different researcher involved in the project explained that since aircraft were utilized in combat, a significant outcome was to "transform calm airspace into an ongoing security concern."

Contemporary Context

The unmanned aircraft observations of the current year should not be considered psychological projections but they're occurring amid a "perfect storm" of geopolitical tensions fueled by eastern expansionism and worries over the uncertainty of longtime Nato ally the US.

"Abruptly, numerous European nations including smaller countries are experiencing increased insecurity than they've experienced recently," he said.

"Within this atmosphere, the current situation is a collective anxiety attack where the atmosphere has become a social barometer of the current era, driven by limitations in human observation and fear."

As fall approaches and nights grow longer, which results in extended periods without light which cannot be overlooked as it adds to the ambiguity of these circumstances.

"It cannot be good for individuals suffering from anxiety," concluded the researcher.