Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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Russian frigate fires flares at Danish military helicopter

The Danish military said a Russian frigate fired two flares without warning toward a Danish military helicopter in international waters, with one passing within metres of the aircraft.

Occurrence
2026-09-14
Publication
2026-09-15T00:00:00Z
First observed
2026-09-21T16:39:12Z
Review status
Reviewed
Countries
DK
Updated
2026-09-21T16:39:12Z

E/M/R/S scores

  • EExistence4/4
  • MIntent4/4
  • RRussian actor link4/4
  • SRussian state responsibility4/4

Facts

Established

  • A Russian naval frigate fired two flares toward a Danish military helicopter.
  • Danish Defence: assessment of Russian state responsibility.
  • Danish Defence: assessment of a Russian operational actor link.
  • Danish Defence: assessment of deliberate or malicious character.
  • Danish Defence: assessment of whether the observable event occurred.
  • Reuters: assessment of Russian state responsibility.
  • Reuters: assessment of a Russian operational actor link.
  • Reuters: assessment of deliberate or malicious character.
  • Reuters: assessment of whether the observable event occurred.
  • The flares were fired from a Russian frigate.
  • The frigate was an operational Russian state vessel.

Alleged

  • Russia alleged that the Danish helicopter had carried out dangerous manoeuvres.

Unknown

  • Russia disputed the Danish account of responsibility for the dangerous manoeuvre.

Sources

  1. Role
    primary_evidence
    Date
    2026-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Forsvaret oplyser, at en russisk fregat affyrede to flares mod en dansk helikopter ud for Gedser.

  2. Role
    corroborating_evidence
    Date
    2026-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Reuters reported the Danish military account and the Russian ambassador’s acknowledgement that Moscow would investigate the incident.