There's been another dangerous incident and major 'close call' involving a Russian ship in international waters off Europe.
In this case, which unfolded Monday, a Danish military helicopter reportedly hovered near a Russian military frigate, seeking to monitor and photograph it.
Soon after, according to the account of Danish military officials, the Fennec military helicopter was fired upon by flares from the Russian ship.
It happened in the Baltic Sea, after which Moscow's ambassador in Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, laid blame solely on the Danish side for the helicopter's "dangerous maneuvers".
One of the flares, which are typically only used for warning signals at sea when a ship is distressed, is said to have passed dangerously close to the helicopter.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the incident serious and framed it as an extension of Russia's so-called hybrid campaign against Europe and NATO.
"Russia wants to sow fear and discord. Our answer is to stand closer together and strengthen the defense of Denmark and Europe," Frederiksen said.
And the country's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also condemned the event as having endangered lives.
"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," Rasmussen said, and confirmed he summoned Russia's ambassador.
Below is an example of European media playing the hawks, pressing officials over invoking NATO Article 5 'collective defense':
Denmark’s Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus told TV 2 News that one flare passed within a “matter of metres” of the aircraft, and accused Russia of “deeply unprofessional seamanship”.
When asked if Denmark would seek Article 5 consultations over the incident – invoking the NATO measure that considers an attack against one member of the bloc to be an attack against all of them – Bruus said the incident was being taken seriously, but “we are not there”.
Barbin said he had complained last year about what he called dangerous fly-bys and low hovering by a Danish helicopter over the Russian warship Vice-Admiral Kulakov.
Tensions have been soaring between Russia and Scandinavian countries of late in northern waters, particularly after early this month Norway seized a Russian government expedition vessel as it was docked at a far northern island, deemed an international zone.
Putin had described the incident as Ukraine's Western backers being "complicit in international terrorism" - given the seizure came at the request of the Zelensky government.