A Russian frigate fired two flares at a Royal Danish Air Force Fennec helicopter in international waters off Gedser on September 14, 2026, the Danish Defence Command said in a statement issued at 23:02 local time the same day.
The helicopter was carrying out what the Defence Command called routine photographic coverage of the frigate when the flares were fired. One of the two passed at close range to the aircraft. The Defence Command said it had no further comment at that stage, and it did not name the frigate, identify the helicopter’s unit, or give a position for the encounter.
Gedser lies at the southern tip of the island of Falster, on the approaches to the Danish straits that carry traffic in and out of the Baltic. The Fennec is a light observation helicopter operated by the Royal Danish Air Force from Karup Air Base in central Jutland.
Denmark summons Russian ambassador over flare incident
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on September 15, 2026, that the Russian ambassador had been summoned over the incident.
Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said the episode showed that Russia’s tolerance for risk had shifted and described the maneuver as very unprofessional seamanship. He said the crew was unhurt and the helicopter was undamaged.
Bruus told broadcaster TV 2 that, to his knowledge, this was the first incident of its kind involving Denmark. Asked whether Copenhagen would seek consultations with allies under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, he said Denmark took the incident seriously but was not at that point.
He also said the encounter would not change Denmark’s behavior in the area. The Danish Armed Forces had a legitimate task monitoring activity around the country, he said, and would continue carrying it out.
Russian flare incidents are not unprecedented in the Baltic
In late November 2024, a helicopter operating from the German frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen was met with red flares from a Russian vessel during a Baltic escort mission.
Russian reconnaissance aircraft also overflew the German frigate Hamburg twice in September 2025, at altitudes German sources put below 100 meters.
NATO has increased its vigilance regarding Russian operations in the Baltic Sea, especially suspected “ghost ships” used to evade sanctions on Russian oil exports. These vessels, frequently operating without tracking devices and under the flags of other nations, are occasionally escorted by Russian military ships.