Minister of Defense Jeppe Bruus will hold a briefing with the defense chairmen of the parties that are part of the defense agreement, a political cooperation on defence policy issues. The meeting will be held at ten o'clock on Tuesday morning, reports DR.
The Danish Air Force helicopter was on a routine mission to photograph an area south of the town of Gedser on the island of Falster, in international waters, according to the Danish Defence Forces. When it was near the Russian warship, two emergency flares were fired, one of which is said to have passed the helicopter at very close range.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is not surprised.
"It is part of the pattern we see throughout Europe. (...) Russia wants to intimidate and sow division. Our response is to stand closer together and strengthen the defence of Denmark and Europe," reads a written statement.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Russian ambassador to Copenhagen in response to the incident. It is unclear when the meeting will be held.
"It is completely unacceptable and could have endangered human lives," said Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen in a statement.
Vladimir Barbin, Russia's ambassador to Denmark, said in a comment to Ritzau that it was a provocative act by the Danish helicopter. He also suggested that there were communication problems on the Danish side.
