Russia warns Denmark after near miss in Baltic Sea | Conflict News
Moscow and Copenhagen traded accusations following a dangerous incident in the Baltic Sea, where a Russian frigate fired two flares that missed a Danish military helicopter by a narrow margin.
On Tuesday, Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin asserted that the actions of the Danish helicopter were to blame for the incident. He characterized the maneuvering of the Danish aircraft as “dangerous” and “provocative,” and conveyed this message through a formal note to Danish officials. In the note, Barbin expressed concern about potential future repercussions if such “recklessness” continued.
The Danish Defence Command stated that the Fennec helicopter was on a routine mission, photographing the frigate while operating in international waters. Officials noted that ships typically use flares for signaling purposes.
Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said that one of the flares passed within a “matter of metres” of the helicopter and criticized Russia’s actions as reflecting “deeply unprofessional seamanship.” When questioned about potentially invoking NATO’s Article 5—a measure that considers an attack on one member an attack on all—Bruus indicated that while the incident was taken seriously, further action was not currently being pursued.
Barbin also mentioned a complaint he lodged last year regarding low-altitude flights and close passes of a Danish helicopter over the Russian warship Vice-Admiral Kulakov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the incident, citing a lack of information.
The Danish Straits, where much of the recent tension between Denmark and Russia has occurred, serve as a critical shipping channel and oil route, particularly for Russian oil tankers.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the incident as serious yet unsurprising, framing it within a broader context of escalating Russian hybrid warfare against Europe and ongoing tests of NATO’s resolve. “Russia wants to sow fear and discord,” she stated, advocating for stronger defenses and unity among European nations.
In a related note, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry later warned Western officials to carefully assess the risks associated with travel to Ukraine. This warning came on the heels of a Russian drone strike targeting a rail line that had recently been used by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt. The spokeswoman asserted that rail hubs supporting Ukraine’s military are legitimate targets and reiterated previous cautions for foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv due to ongoing military threats.
