German defence ministry does not confirm Baltic Sea incident involving Russians

The German Ministry of Defence’s spokesperson has refused to comment on media reports that Russia allegedly launched flares at a German helicopter.

As reported by Suddeutsche Zeitung, the spokesperson for Germany's Defence Ministry declined to comment on media reports alleging that Russian forces fired signal flares towards a German helicopter.

In response to inquiries about the reported incident in the Baltic Sea, the spokesperson stated that violations of maritime or airspace regulations occasionally occur.

"In such cases, it becomes a matter for the navy or air force to respond calmly and with a de-escalating effect," he said.

Earlier reports described an alleged encounter in the Baltic Sea between a Russian vessel and a German helicopter on a reconnaissance mission, during which the Russian crew reportedly fired signal flares.

Signal flares are typically used only in emergencies, and no further details about the incident have been provided so far.

The Baltic Sea has become a hotspot for tensions between Russia and NATO, which involve espionage and the protection of critical infrastructure.

Previous reports revealed that Russian ships, under the guise of routine civilian operations, have allegedly been collecting sensitive data about critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.