Russian Frigate Fires Flares at Danish Helicopter

A near-miss over the Baltic raises the temperature between Moscow and NATO's northern flank — with no radio warning given.

By The Defense Desk

[1]

No warning was issued and no radio contact was made before the flares were fired. [1] Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, said in a statement that Moscow would thoroughly investigate the incident, and that it was not the first time Danish military helicopters had carried out dangerous maneuvers near Russian warships in international waters. [1] Denmark summoned Barbin over the incident. [1]

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the incident was serious but not surprising. [1]

[1] Denmark's Defence Intelligence Service said last year that Russian warships had repeatedly sailed on collision courses with Danish vessels, targeted Danish helicopters and ships with tracking radars, and pointed weapons at them in the straits. [1]

The flare incident is not an outlier so much as a data point in a longer series — each provocation testing where the threshold for a formal NATO response actually sits.

Bruus said Denmark was not seeking consultations under NATO's collective defense treaty, saying that would require a more direct attack on Danish territory. [1] He did say the Russians "have increased their willingness to take risks in terms of how far they are prepared to go." [1]