Denmark formally summoned Russia's ambassador after a Russian frigate discharged two emergency flares near a Danish Fennec helicopter, a diplomatic move Copenhagen says raises tensions along NATO's eastern edge. The Danish armed forces said the helicopter was on routine photographic surveillance of the vessel in international waters off Gedser when the flares were fired, and that one passed close to the aircraft.
The Danish foreign ministry labelled the action "completely unacceptable" and requested an explanation from Moscow. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the manoeuvre "reckless" and said it was intended to "intimidate and divide". Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen accused Russia of "gradually shifting the boundary for what they consider acceptable behaviour", adding, "That is something we cannot accept." The Kremlin had not issued a comment at the time of Denmark's announcement.
The flare incident occurred on the same day NATO forces shot down a drone over Lithuania, underscoring a series of recent airspace confrontations in the region. Lithuanian authorities said the unmanned aircraft most likely entered near Kaunas from Belarus shortly after midnight, while the national crisis management centre said the drone's origins were still being determined. President Gitanas Nausėda wrote on X that, "With Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine, such readiness is vital for our region. Together with our Nato Allies, Lithuania will defend its airspace."
Poland reported it had carried out precautionary aviation operations on Monday night in response to activity by jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles striking Ukrainian territory. NATO jets have scrambled several times this year to intercept drones that crossed into Estonia and Latvia, incidents Ukraine attributes in part to Russian electronic warfare that can divert unmanned systems. Copenhagen's diplomatic protest has come alongside tighter air-defence vigilance among Baltic allies.
With Moscow remaining silent about the flares, Danish officials and NATO partners say the episode fits a worrying pattern of risky behaviour at sea and in the skies that could increase the chance of unintended escalation. Authorities in the alliance's eastern members say they will keep monitoring activity closely and sustain heightened readiness in the near term.
