Russian Frigate Fires Flares at Danish Military Helicopter

A Russian naval frigate fired two emergency flares at a Government of Denmark Fennec helicopter on Monday in international waters off the coast of Gedser. The Danish Armed Forces reported the aircraft was conducting routine photographic coverage of the warship when one flare passed at close range.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the incident as a reckless action intended to "intimidate and divide." Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned the Russian ambassador, describing the event as completely unacceptable and accusing Moscow of shifting the boundaries of acceptable behavior.

Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin stated that Moscow would investigate the incident but countered by accusing the Danish military of performing dangerous maneuvers near Russian ships. He noted that Russia had issued an official note to Copenhagen complaining about such activities.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha characterized the event as a provocative attempt to destabilize Europe, stating that "joint and decisive action is required." The confrontation occurred amid a broader surge of security incidents in the Baltic region, including the recovery of a suspected Russian drone by Poland and the downing of a drone by NATO jets over Lithuania.