A Russian frigate fired two flares towards a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark on Monday, narrowly missing the aircraft, according to the Danish military. The incident has added to heightened tensions in the Baltic Sea, where NATO members have been on increased alert following a series of incidents involving airspace violations, drone sightings and damage to gas pipelines since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Danish Fennec military helicopter had been carrying out a routine mission to photograph the Russian frigate, the Danish Defence Command said in a statement issued late on Monday. One of the flares, which are pyrotechnic devices commonly used as warning signals at sea, passed close to the helicopter. The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Denmark Calls Incident Serious

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the incident as serious but said it was not unexpected, placing it within what she called a broader pattern of increasingly aggressive Russian behaviour towards Europe.

“Russia wants to sow fear and discord. Our answer is to stand closer together and strengthen the defence of Denmark and Europe,” Frederiksen said in a statement.

She linked the episode to what European governments have described as Russian hybrid warfare, a term generally used for hostile or aggressive actions that stop short of an outright act of war. According to Frederiksen, Russia is increasingly using such tactics to test NATO.

Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the firing of the flares as “unacceptable” and warned that the incident could have put lives at risk. “Denmark is working to ensure that all shipping can pass peacefully through Danish waters, but Russia is gradually moving the line for what it considers acceptable behaviour,” he said in a statement.

Rasmussen also said he had summoned Russia’s ambassador to Denmark for a meeting over the incident.

Danish Straits Critical For Baltic Shipping

The incident occurred in a strategically important maritime region. Denmark’s straits provide the principal sea route connecting the Baltic Sea with waters beyond it and are used by both commercial and military vessels.

The waterways are also an important route for global oil shipments, including tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. These vessels are used to transport Russian oil while seeking to circumvent Western sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine.

Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service said last year that Russian warships had repeatedly engaged in potentially provocative manoeuvres in the straits. It said Russian vessels had sailed on collision courses with Danish ships, directed tracking radars at Danish helicopters and vessels, and pointed weapons at them.

Baltic Sea Remains High-Risk Region

The latest incident comes against the backdrop of growing military and security concerns across the Baltic Sea. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO countries in the region have reported a series of incidents involving suspected hybrid activity, including drone sightings, airspace violations and disruptions to gas pipeline infrastructure.

Denmark has increasingly portrayed Russia as a more assertive security threat to Europe, while NATO members have strengthened surveillance and defence measures across the region.

Russia has rejected accusations surrounding previous incidents involving Danish vessels and aircraft and has repeatedly denied carrying out hybrid attacks in Europe. The Russian government’s position on Monday’s flare incident was not immediately available.

The episode nevertheless risks adding to tensions between Moscow and NATO at a time when the Danish straits remain a vital passage for military, commercial and energy shipping in and out of the Baltic Sea.

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