Denmark has formally accused a Russian warship of targeting one of its military helicopters with emergency flares during a routine surveillance operation in the Baltic Sea. The Danish government has summoned the Russian ambassador to address the incident, which occurred on Monday when a Royal Danish Air Force Fennec was photographing a Russian frigate in international waters off the coast of Gedser.
According to a statement from the Danish armed forces, two flares were discharged, with one passing dangerously close to the aircraft. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen characterized the move as “reckless” and argued it was intended to intimidate and create division within NATO. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen added that the action represented a dangerous shift in what Moscow considers acceptable behavior, describing the incident as “completely unacceptable.”
Moscow has yet to issue a comment regarding the allegations. The event highlights escalating tensions on NATO’s eastern flank, coinciding with a separate security scare involving the downing of a drone over Lithuania. Lithuanian authorities reported that fighters intercepted the unmanned aerial vehicle after it entered the country’s airspace near Kaunas, likely originating from neighboring Belarus. President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized that such defensive readiness is vital given the intensifying aggression against Ukraine.
Poland also reported overnight “preventive” aviation operations to secure its airspace against Russian jet-powered drones striking Ukrainian territory. While Ukraine has blamed electronic warfare systems for stray drones crossing into Baltic nations, the series of incidents underscores the volatile security environment in the region.
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