Russian ship fires flares at Danish military helicopter

A Russian ship fired flares at a Danish military helicopter off the southern coast of Denmark on Monday, triggering alarm in Copenhagen as the Kremlin's belligerence against Europe ramps up.

"The Russian frigate fired two flares at the helicopter. One of the flares fired passed within a short distance of the helicopter," the Danish armed forces announced late Monday night.

European nations have accused Moscow of conducting a campaign of so-called hybrid warfare to destabilize the continent while it also persists in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine — but capitals and NATO have hesitated about an escalatory response to Russia.

"It is part of the pattern we see throughout Europe," warned Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday morning after the maritime incident.

"With an increasingly aggressive and assertive Russia, that has intensified the hybrid war against Europe. And that tests and challenges NATO. Russia wants to intimidate and sow discord. Our response is to stand closer together and strengthen the defense of Denmark and Europe," she added.

Denmark will drag in the Russian ambassador to explain the crew's actions, a senior official in Copenhagen announced Tuesday morning.

"The armed forces report that one of the air force's helicopters was fired upon with so-called flares in connection with routine photographic coverage of a Russian frigate in the waters off Gedser. This is completely unacceptable. Therefore, Russia's ambassador has been summoned for a conversation about the incident," said Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark's foreign minister.