Russia has warned Denmark against what it described as “reckless” actions after a Russian frigate fired two warning flares that narrowly missed a Danish military helicopter over the Baltic Sea.
The incident occurred while the Danish helicopter was carrying out surveillance of the Russian warship in international waters near Denmark. Danish authorities said the flares came dangerously close to the aircraft and described the incident as unacceptable. Denmark subsequently summoned Russia’s ambassador to demand an explanation.
Russia, however, gave a different account. Moscow accused Danish military helicopters of making dangerous manoeuvres around its warships and submitted a formal diplomatic complaint to Copenhagen. Russian officials said they wanted measures taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The confrontation comes amid heightened military tensions in the Baltic Sea, where NATO members and Russia operate in close proximity. The latest incident has raised concerns that miscalculations between military forces could lead to a more serious confrontation.