Denmark has accused a Russian warship of launching two emergency flares toward a Danish military helicopter that was monitoring the vessel in the Baltic Sea.
Following the incident, the Danish government summoned Russia’s ambassador to demand an explanation. Danish authorities said the incident occurred Monday during what they described as a routine surveillance operation.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Russia’s actions “reckless,” saying they appeared intended to “intimidate and divide.”
Russia, meanwhile, said it would “thoroughly investigate” the incident, while accusing Danish helicopters of carrying out “dangerous maneuvers” near Russian warships.
The incident occurred on the same day NATO forces shot down a drone over Lithuania, adding to growing security concerns along the alliance’s eastern flank. Tensions in the region remain high as Russia continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement, the Danish Armed Forces said one of its Air Force Fennec helicopters was targeted with flares while carrying out a routine photographic surveillance mission of a Russian frigate operating in international waters near Gedser.
According to the Danish military, one of the two flares passed very close to the helicopter. Denmark’s Foreign Ministry described the incident as “completely unacceptable.”
