Russian Frigate Fires Flares Near Danish Helicopter Off Gedser

A Russian warship fired two emergency flares at a Danish Fennec helicopter on Monday, September 14, 2026, in international waters off Gedser, southern Denmark.

The incident occurred during a routine photographic operation of the Russian frigate. One of the flares passed at close range to the helicopter, with Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus stating it was within a matter of metres. No injuries were reported on board the helicopter. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the event as reckless action from Russia, asserting that Russian actions are meant to intimidate and divide.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the actions completely unacceptable and said they could have put human lives at risk. Rasmussen summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin for a discussion, accusing Russia of gradually shifting the boundary for what they consider acceptable behaviour. Bruus also accused Russia of deeply unprofessional seamanship but indicated Denmark is not seeking Article 5 consultations.

Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin insisted that dangerous manoeuvres by the Danish aircraft were to blame for the incident. Barbin delivered a formal note demanding steps to prevent a repeat, calling Danish attempts to explain the helicopter's actions as routine provocative. He claimed this was not the first time Danish Air Force helicopters had carried out dangerous manoeuvres near Russian warships, citing a complaint he made last year about fly-bys over the Russian warship Vice-Admiral Kulakov.

Barbin stated Russia would thoroughly investigate all the circumstances of the incident. The incident occurred on the same day NATO jets shot down a drone over Lithuania. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen described these incidents as part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation against Europe. Poland also scrambled fighter jets due to Russian jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory. Tensions over the Baltic Sea have risen sharply since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.