Denmark says Russian warship fired flares at military helicopter

September 15, 2026 at 03:12 PM2 min

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Denmark accused a Russian warship of firing two emergency flares at one of its military helicopters during a routine monitoring operation in the Baltic Sea on Monday. The Danish government summoned the Russian ambassador over the incident, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called reckless and designed to intimidate and divide. The accusation came as NATO fighter pilots shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace from Belarus overnight.

Key Facts

Danish armed forces said one of their Fennec helicopters was fired at with flares during a routine photographic operation of a Russian frigate in international waters off Gedser.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen accused Russia of gradually shifting the boundary for what they consider acceptable behaviour.
NATO fighter pilots shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace near Kaunas shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
Poland announced aviation operations in its airspace on Monday night due to Russian jet-powered drones striking Ukrainian territory.

The Flare Incident

The Danish armed forces said one of the air force's Fennec helicopters was fired at with flares during a routine photographic operation of a Russian frigate located in international waters off Gedser. Of the two flares fired at the helicopter, one passed close to it, the statement added. The Danish foreign ministry described the incident as completely unacceptable. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen branded the Russian action reckless and said it was designed to intimidate and divide. Moscow has not commented on the incident.

Regional Airspace Incursions

NATO fighter pilots shot down a drone that entered Lithuania's airspace near the second-largest city of Kaunas from neighbouring Belarus shortly after midnight on Tuesday. The origins of the drone are yet to be determined, the Lithuanian national crisis management centre said. President Gitanas Nausėda wrote on X that with Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for the region. Poland announced aviation operations in its airspace on Monday night due to the activity of Russian Federation's jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory. NATO jets have been scrambled several times to shoot down stray Ukrainian drones that have crossed into Baltic countries Estonia and Latvia this year.