Moscow has issued a stark warning to Copenhagen following a tense encounter in the Baltic Sea, where a Russian frigate discharged flares that narrowly avoided hitting a Danish military helicopter. The incident has sparked a diplomatic row, with both nations assigning responsibility for the near-miss.
Vladimir Barbin, Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, stated on Tuesday that the Russian warship’s actions were a direct response to “dangerous manoeuvres” performed by the Danish aircraft. Speaking to RIA Novosti, Barbin confirmed he had submitted a formal diplomatic note demanding measures to prevent similar episodes. He characterized the helicopter’s behavior as provocative and expressed “serious concern” regarding the potential consequences of such recklessness.
Conversely, the Danish Defence Command maintained that the Fennec helicopter was conducting a standard mission to photograph the Russian frigate as it navigated international waters off the Danish coast. Standard naval protocol involves the use of flares as warning signals. Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus told TV 2 News that one flare passed within mere metres of the aircraft, condemning the event as an act of “deeply unprofessional seamanship.”
Despite the severity of the situation, Bruus clarified that Denmark would not invoke Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. When asked if the bloc’s mutual defence clause would be triggered, he stated that while the matter is being taken seriously, “we are not there.”
This is not the first point of friction between the two nations in the region. Barbin noted that he had previously lodged complaints regarding dangerous fly-bys and low hovering by Danish helicopters over the Russian warship Vice-Admiral Kulakov. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to provide further comment, citing a lack of details.
The Danish Straits, which serve as the primary shipping gateway to the Baltic and a critical route for Russian oil tankers, have been the site of numerous incidents between Denmark and Russia. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the event as serious but predictable, framing it as part of a broader pattern of intensifying Russian hybrid warfare aimed at testing NATO and sowing discord in Europe.
“Russia wants to sow fear and discord,” Frederiksen said, calling for enhanced unity and stronger defensive capabilities for Denmark and the continent. Moscow continues to deny allegations of conducting hybrid attacks across Europe.
In a related development concerning the conflict in Ukraine, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a separate warning to Western diplomats on Tuesday. She urged them to “soberly” assess the risks of travel to Ukraine after a drone strike damaged a railway line moments before a train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt passed through. The spokesperson reiterated that rail hubs and transport infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military are legitimate targets, noting that Russia had previously advised foreign diplomats to depart Kyiv in May due to strikes on the country’s military-industrial complex.
I saw the video footage; that flare passed terrifyingly close. Calling it unprofessional seamanship is putting it mildly, honestly.
The defense minister says we are not at Article 5 yet, but this is dangerously close. Moscow needs to stop testing our patience.