A Russian frigate fired two flares toward a Danish military helicopter in international waters off the coast of Denmark on Monday, narrowly missing the aircraft, Denmark's military announced.
The Danish defense command stated that the Fennec military helicopter had been on a routine mission to photograph the Russian frigate when the incident occurred. One of the flares passed close to the helicopter.
Flares are pyrotechnic devices typically used as warning signals at sea.
Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the incident as "unacceptable" and noted that it could have endangered human lives. "For our part, Denmark is working to ensure that all shipping can pass peacefully through Danish waters, but Russia is gradually moving the line for what it considers acceptable behavior," he said in a statement Tuesday.
Rasmussen added that he had summoned Russia's ambassador to Denmark for a meeting. The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of regular office hours.