Russian commander awarded medal after firing flares toward Danish military helicopter

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has bestowed the Medal "For Combat Distinction" upon the commander of the corvette Soobrazitelny. This commendation follows an incident in which the ship discharged two signal flares towards a Danish military helicopter in the Baltic Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry described the commander's actions as "skillful and decisive," asserting that they thwarted what they deemed a "provocation" by the Danish Air Force.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the event transpired at 2:22 p.m. on September 14 while the Baltic Fleet corvette was situated in international waters within the southwestern expanse of the Baltic Sea. The ministry reported that a Danish Air Force Fennec helicopter had approached the ship and allegedly disregarded calls on an international communications channel.

In response, the ship's commander ordered the discharge of two red signal flares, after which, as per the Russian account, the helicopter departed the area. The Danish military, however, maintains that the helicopter was conducting routine photography of the Russian ship in international waters near the town of Gedser in southern Denmark.

Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin was summoned to Denmark's Foreign Ministry, where Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen labeled the incident "unacceptable." Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen connected the Russian ship's actions to what she characterized as an escalating hybrid campaign against Europe, citing Moscow's efforts to test NATO and intimidate Europeans while fostering divisions.

The Insider discovered that Russia's then-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu similarly honored Su-27 pilots with Orders of Courage following an incident involving a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea in March 2023. Russia's Defense Ministry contended that no collision had taken place, instead attributing the incident to the U.S. drone's own abrupt maneuvers.

The ministry stated that the pilots were honored for averting a breach of the areas where Russia had temporarily restricted airspace use post the onset of the full-scale war.