Denmark: rockets fired by a Russian ship near a helicopter

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen denounced on Tuesday “Russia’s irresponsible action” with regard to a helicopter over the Baltic Sea. The Danish military says a Russian warship fired two distress flares at a helicopter operating over the Baltic Sea.

“Russian actions are aimed at intimidating and sowing discord. They will not succeed. We will not give in,” she wrote in a statement.

“One of the Fennec helicopters was targeted today (Monday) by flares during a routine photographic operation near a Russian frigate located in international waters, off the coast of Gedser,” the Danish army said in a statement released late Monday. The frigate fired two rockets towards the helicopter. One of them passed in the immediate vicinity of the device.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Tuesday that the incident was “totally unacceptable”. “The Russian ambassador was therefore summoned to explain this incident,” the ministry said in a statement.