Russian frigate fires flares at Danish helicopter; NATO shoots down drone over Lithuania

A Russian frigate fired two emergency flares at a Danish military helicopter during a routine photographic operation in international waters off southern Denmark on Monday. According to Denmark's armed forces, one flare passed within metres of the Fennec helicopter, and no warning or radio contact was issued before the flares were fired. The incident occurred as NATO also intercepted a drone carrying an explosive device over Lithuania, which had entered the country's airspace from Belarus and remained over the region for approximately 30 minutes before being shot down by an Italian NATO fighter jet near the village of Pratkūnai, about 100 kilometres west of Vilnius.

European leaders responded swiftly to both incidents. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the actions as "reckless and dangerous Russian behaviour" and characterized them as part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation testing Europe's readiness. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned the "reckless action" and stated that Russian actions intended to intimidate and divide would not succeed. Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen summoned the Russian ambassador and warned that "Russia is gradually shifting the boundary for what they consider acceptable behaviour." Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized that such NATO readiness is vital amid Russia's intensifying aggression against Ukraine.

Russia disputed the characterization of events. The Russian ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, claimed it was "not the first time" Danish helicopters had "carried out dangerous manoeuvres near Russian warships" and accused the helicopter of provocative actions. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the drone "most probably" came from Russia, while Lithuania's national crisis management centre determined it had most likely entered from Belarus.

The incidents reflect broader tensions in the Baltic region. Poland scrambled fighter jets the same day in response to Russian unmanned aerial vehicles conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory, and German authorities were searching for debris from a drone believed to have crashed near Hanover. The Danish straits remain a critical sea route for commercial and military shipping in and out of the Baltic Sea. Von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU's commitment to strengthening deterrence and defence in collaboration with NATO, stating that "Russia will find our resolve only growing stronger."