Denmark summons Russian ambassador over flares fired at military helicopter

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Tuesday that he had summoned Russia's ambassador to Denmark after a Russian frigate fired two flares toward a Danish military helicopter.

Describing the incident as "unacceptable," Rasmussen said it could have endangered human lives.

The incident occurred Monday in international waters off Gedser in southern Denmark, while a Danish Air Force Fennec helicopter was conducting routine photographic surveillance of the Russian vessel, according to the Danish Armed Forces.

One of the flares passed close to the helicopter. Flares are pyrotechnic devices normally used as signals at sea, the armed forces said.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the Russian action reckless, saying it was intended to intimidate and divide European countries.

Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus briefed parliamentary parties on the incident on Tuesday, saying Denmark remained in dialogue with its allies but saw no grounds to invoke Article 4 of the NATO founding treaty, which provides for consultations when a NATO member feels threatened, or Article 5, the alliance's collective defense clause.

Moscow, for its part, accused Denmark of carrying out "dangerous maneuvers" near its ship.

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.

(Cover: Denmark's Foreign Minister Rasmussen speaks at the memorial service in Holmen's Church on Flag Day for Denmark's deployed, in Copenhagen, September 5, 2026. /VCG)

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters)