Russian frigate fired signal flares at Danish helicopter near Gedser, Denmark summons ambassador
On the evening of 14 September, a Russian frigate fired two signal flares at a Danish Air Force AS-550 Fennec helicopter conducting routine photography in international waters near Gedser, off the southern tip of the Danish island of Falster. One flare passed close to the helicopter. Denmark summoned the Russian ambassador and condemned the action, with NATO, Ukraine and the European Commission backing Copenhagen. Russia's ambassador in Denmark rejected the Danish account and blamed the helicopter's manoeuvres.
Key points
- Russian frigate fired two signal flares at a Danish Air Force AS-550 Fennec helicopter on the evening of 14 September in international waters near Gedser
- One of the signal flares passed close to the Danish helicopter, which was conducting routine photography of the frigate
- Denmark summoned the Russian ambassador to explain the frigate crew's actions
- Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Russia increasingly aggressive and said the incident is an escalation of hybrid warfare against Europe
- Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the firing of signal flares at the helicopter 'absolutely unacceptable'
- NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called it an 'irresponsible act by Russia' aimed at intimidating NATO allies
- Russian ambassador Vladimir Barbin blamed Denmark, claiming the helicopter provoked the frigate and that Russia would investigate
Why it matters
The episode is a rare direct military confrontation-style incident between a NATO member's air force and a Russian warship in international waters, and has drawn condemnations from Denmark, NATO, Ukraine and the European Commission. Danish and allied statements frame it as part of a broader pattern of Russian hybrid aggression against Europe, while Moscow's envoy has offered a competing narrative blaming Denmark. The diplomatic fallout — including the summoning of Russia's ambassador — adds to tensions over the Baltic Sea and over military aid to Kyiv.
What happened
On the evening of 14 September, a Russian frigate fired two signal flares at a Danish Air Force AS-550 Fennec helicopter that was conducting routine photography in international waters near Gedser, at the southern tip of the Danish island of Falster. One of the flares passed close to the helicopter. Denmark summoned the Russian ambassador to explain the frigate crew's actions. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive and is escalating a hybrid war against Europe, seeking to intimidate and sow division. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the firing of signal flares at the helicopter "absolutely unacceptable". NATO spokesperson Allison Hart described the incident as an "irresponsible act by Russia" aimed at intimidating NATO allies, and the alliance said Denmark had informed allies and that NATO's position on supporting Ukraine remained unchanged. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha expressed full solidarity with Denmark, calling Russia's actions provocative and unacceptable and saying Ukraine is ready to contribute to strengthening Europe's defence against Russian threats. European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius accused Russia of manipulating and blaming Denmark over the episode. Russia's ambassador in Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, rejected the Danish account, saying the helicopter had provoked the frigate with its manoeuvres and that this was not the first such incident. Barbin added that Russia would investigate and claimed Moscow had repeatedly proposed an agreement on preventing maritime incidents, including in the airspace above those waters, which Denmark had consistently rejected. The Danish Ministry of Defence said the helicopter had entirely legitimate reasons to manoeuvre where it did.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The supplied sources are all Ukrainian and frame the incident as unprovoked Russian aggression against a NATO ally, highlighting Ukraine's solidarity with Denmark. Coverage foregrounds Sybiha's characterisation of Russia's actions as provocative and unacceptable and his warning that Moscow continues to try to destabilise Europe beyond Denmark. Ukrainian outlets give weight to European institutional responses, including the European Commission's condemnation alongside Danish and NATO statements, and place the episode in the broader context of Russia's war against Ukraine, including reported Russian sabotage plans against Danish defence firms linked to military aid to Kyiv.
Where reporting differs
Responsibility for the incident is disputed. Denmark, NATO, Ukraine and the European Commission attribute it to provocative actions by Russia, with Frederiksen, Rasmussen, Hart, Sybiha and Kubilius all condemning the frigate's actions and Denmark's Ministry of Defence saying the helicopter had entirely legitimate reasons to manoeuvre where it did. Russia's ambassador Vladimir Barbin offers a competing account, blaming the Danish helicopter for provoking the frigate with its manoeuvres, claiming this was not the first such incident, and asserting that Russia has repeatedly proposed an agreement on preventing maritime incidents, including in the airspace above those waters, which Denmark has consistently rejected. Barbin said Russia would investigate the circumstances.
Background
Earlier in September, Danish intelligence reported that Russia was preparing sabotage operations against Danish defence-industry enterprises linked to military aid to Kyiv. Frederiksen described the incident as part of a pattern of Russian behaviour observed across Europe and said NATO is being tested and challenged.