Denmark considers shooting down Russian military aircraft

In Denmark, officials recollected the incident with the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M fighter jet, which was shot down by Turkey in 2015 as the aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces were flying in the vicinity of Danish airspace. 

According to journalist Steffen Nyboe McGhie, Denmark has no real leverage to prevent Russia from violating its air borders.

The journalist recalled that Danish diplomats set out a protest to Moscow over the alleged violation of Denmark's air border. The journalist has no idea how Denmark should proceed to act in this case, but he certainly does not recommend following Turkey's example.

Major Karsten Marrup, the head of the Center for Air Operations at the Danish Military Academy, said that Russian planes were no threat to Denmark. Even when Russian military aircraft violate airspace, they do not act aggressively, nor do they carry any rockets on suspensions. Therefore, an attack on a Russian aircraft would be unreasonable, Marrup told Berlingske publication. 

On June 14, the Russian ambassador was summoned to the Danish Foreign Ministry in connection with an incident that took place three days earlier. The Danish Defense Ministry accused Russia of violating the country's airspace. The report said that Russian aircraft violated Danish airspace twice in one day. Denmark used its own military aircraft to resolve the situation. 

On November 24, 2015, a military aircraft of the Turkish Air Force shot down the Russian Su-24 bomber, which was taking part in the anti-terrorist operation in Syria. Both pilots ejected, the navigator managed to escape, the pilot was shot from the ground by militants.

The incident triggered a major crisis in the relations between Russia and Turkey.

• Turkish President originally refused to apologize for the incident, claiming that Turkey was unaware of the national affiliation of the downed plane, which, according to Ankara, had violated Turkey's airspace.
• The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces later exposed the flight route of the downed aircraft and said that it had not violated Turkey's airspace.