Russia confirms flare incident at Danish helicopter, rewards captain

Russia's Ministry of Defence confirmed its forces fired emergency flares at a Danish military helicopter earlier this week, and the captain involved has been rewarded. This marks a confirmed escalation in military interactions between Russia and NATO members in the Baltic region, though the use of flares rather than weapons suggests a calibrated, non-lethal provocation. The incident raises tensions and could prompt a NATO response, but the full context and frequency of such encounters remain unclear.