Russian frigate fires flares at Danish military helicopter

A Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish military helicopter conducting routine surveillance in international waters near Gedser. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen condemned it as a "reckless action from Russia towards Danish military", while Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned Russia's ambassador over the incident.

Daniel TrangeledDENMARK16 Sept 2026Original Source

A Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish Air Force Fennec helicopter on 14 September. The helicopter was carrying out routine photographic coverage of the vessel in international waters off Gedser, according to Danish Defence Command. One of two flares passed close to the helicopter. No damage or injuries were reported.

The incident happened at 23:02 local time. Danish Defence Command confirmed it in a brief statement and said it currently has no further comment.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a "reckless action from Russia towards Danish military," according to a post from her office on X. "Russian actions are meant to intimidate and divide," she said. "They will not succeed. We will not waver."

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the incident "completely unacceptable" and said that Russia's ambassador "has been summoned for a conversation about the incident", according to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X.

Common questions about the article

Questions and answers generated automatically from the article content.

01What happened when a Russian frigate fired flares at a Danish helicopter?

A Russian frigate fired two flares at a Danish Air Force Fennec helicopter while it conducted routine photographic coverage of the vessel. One flare passed close to the helicopter, but Danish Defence Command reported no damage or injuries resulted from the incident. Last fact-checked: 2026-09-16.

02How did Danish officials respond to the flare incident?

03When and where did the Russian frigate fire flares at the Danish Fennec helicopter?