Danish military says Russian frigate shot flares at helicopter

On September 14, a Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish military helicopter near the island of Gedser on Denmark's southern coast, according to the Danish Armed Forces Command. The Danish military spokesman confirmed that one of the flares passed within a short distance of the helicopter. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the incident as a pattern of Kremlin-inspired behavior, emphasizing that Russia has intensified its hybrid war against Europe, testing NATO and challenging its cohesion.

She stated that Russia seeks to intimidate and sow discord. Denmark's foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, called the vessel's actions "completely unacceptable" and summoned Russia's ambassador to Copenhagen for a conversation about the incident. The Danish Defense Minister, Jeppe Bruus, described the attack as a sign that Russia's willingness to take risks had shifted and criticized the vessel's actions as "very unprofessional seamanship."

This incident is part of Russia's broader "hybrid warfare" campaign aimed at disrupting and weakening support for Ukraine amid President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion. While NATO and its European members have refrained from military responses, Denmark has taken steps to prepare for potential aggression from Russia, expanding compulsory military conscription in August.