Denmark has summoned the Russian ambassador after accusing a Russian warship of firing two emergency flares at one of its military helicopters. The incident occurred on Monday during a routine monitoring operation in the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Gedser.

The Danish armed forces stated that one of the air force's Fennec helicopters was targeted with flares while conducting a "routine photographic operation" of a Russian frigate in international waters. One of the two flares fired passed close to the helicopter.

The Danish government has strongly condemned the action. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the Russian conduct as "reckless" and intended to "intimidate and divide." The Danish Foreign Ministry called the incident "completely unacceptable," with Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen asserting that Russia is "gradually shifting the boundary for what they consider acceptable behaviour."

The incident occurred on the same day that NATO forces shot down a drone over Lithuania, highlighting heightened security concerns on the alliance's eastern flank amidst Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus confirmed that the frigate's crew made no attempt to contact the helicopter.

In response to Denmark's accusation, Russia's ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, accused Danish helicopters of "dangerous manoeuvres near Russian warships." He stated that this was not the first such incident and suggested that communication issues lay with the Danish side, not the Russian Navy. Russia has also said it will "thoroughly investigate" the event.

This confrontation adds to a series of recent security incidents in the region. In Lithuania, NATO fighter pilots downed a drone that entered the country's airspace from Belarus shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized the need for readiness due to "Russia intensifying its aggression against Ukraine."

Poland also reported aviation operations on Monday night due to "activity of Russian Federation's jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory." These operations were described as preventive measures to secure airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to regions affected by the conflict.

The repeated incursions and alleged aggressive actions by Russian military assets underscore the fragile security environment in the Baltic Sea region. NATO has previously scrambled jets to intercept stray Ukrainian drones that have entered the airspace of Baltic countries, including Estonia.