Denmark has accused a Russian warship of firing flares within metres of a Danish military helicopter, raising concerns that the Ukraine conflict could spill over into Europe. Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus told Reuters that no warning or radio contact was made before the flare launch. Moscow, in turn, blamed the Danish aircraft for making “dangerous manoeuvres” near its warships in the Baltic Sea and handed an official note to Copenhagen, according to RIA.
NATO members reacted swiftly. Turkey’s foreign ministry said Russia was “spreading” the war to the Black Sea and threatened the safety of its citizens. Poland launched preventive air operations over its airspace after Russian drone attacks, later reporting no violation of its airspace. An Italian fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, prompting a drone alert in Vilnius.
North Korea has pledged to deepen its cooperation with Russia, calling the invasion of Ukraine a “sacred war.” Kim Jong Un replied to a congratulatory message from President Vladimir Putin on North Korea’s 78th anniversary, confirming continued support. The hermit kingdom remains the only third party to deploy ground troops directly to the conflict, sending soldiers to assist in the Kursk region.
Russia’s foreign ministry warned western diplomats not to travel to Kyiv, citing earlier warnings to leave the city after strikes. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a major speech outlining priorities for the EU, likely addressing AI, climate change, and the war in Ukraine. In other news, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the death of a service member in a road traffic incident in Ukraine, and reports surfaced that Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev helped finance Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding in the Bahamas.
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