Russia accuses Danish military helicopters of making dangerous manoeuvres near its warships

On September 15, a Russian frigate fired two flares at a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark's southern coast near Gedser. The incident occurred when the Danish Fennec helicopter was conducting routine surveillance of the Russian warship. One flare passed dangerously close to the helicopter, narrowly missing it. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned Russia’s actions as "reckless," while Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called them "unacceptable." In response, Denmark summoned Russia's ambassador and is accelerating aid to Ukraine, worth an estimated 1.8 billion Danish crowns ($276 million) for air defense systems.

Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin accused Danish helicopters of conducting dangerous maneuvers near Russian vessels, citing a similar incident in September 2025 where he said a helicopter flew dangerously low over the anti-submarine ship 'Vice-Admiral Kulakov' without establishing radio contact. NATO and European officials have warned that such confrontations indicate Russia's increasing use of "gray zone" tactics to test Western resolve, escalating tensions in the Baltic Sea region.