Russia warns Denmark after flares narrowly miss military helicopter
Moscow blamed the Danish aircraft’s manoeuvres, while Copenhagen called the incident serious and deeply unprofessional.
Russia has warned Denmark against “reckless” actions after a Russian frigate fired two flares that passed within a matter of metres of a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark.
The Danish Fennec helicopter was conducting a routine photographic mission involving the frigate, according to Denmark’s defence command. Ships commonly use flares as warning signals, but Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus described the Russian action as “deeply unprofessional seamanship”.
Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin said Moscow had delivered a formal note demanding measures to prevent a repeat of the incident. He blamed what he called dangerous and provocative manoeuvres by the Danish aircraft, rejecting Denmark’s characterisation of the mission as routine.
Barbin also cited previous Russian complaints about alleged dangerous fly-bys and low hovering by a Danish helicopter near the Russian warship Vice-Admiral Kulakov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment, saying he did not have the details.
Denmark said it was taking the incident seriously but was not seeking NATO Article 5 consultations at this stage. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the episode as part of a pattern of intensifying Russian hybrid warfare against Europe and testing NATO, and called for greater unity and stronger European defences.
The incident occurred near the Danish Straits, a major Baltic shipping gateway and oil route. Russia denies carrying out hybrid attacks in Europe.
