Bloomberg: Denmark prepares for potential Arctic conflict

As NATO continues to expand its presence in the Arctic, Danish intelligence agencies have adopted a more cautious stance over the past year, warning that the likelihood of tensions escalating between NATO and Moscow in the region is higher than ever.

Denmark is ramping up its military presence in Greenland in response, viewing the island as critical to national and allied security amid rising tensions, Caliber.Az reports citing Bloomberg.

According to the publication, Copenhagen unveiled its second Arctic military package on October 10, featuring new investments to bolster sea defence around Greenland. The initiative includes maritime patrol aircraft for submarine detection and anti-submarine warfare, as well as additional Arctic-capable ships and icebreakers.

“We are looking into a future threat scenario that we have to deal with,” said Soren Andersen, Head of the Joint Arctic Command in Greenland, as quoted by Bloomberg.

Andersen pointed to Russia’s growing cooperation with China in the Bering Strait, which separates Alaska from Russia, as well as Moscow’s increasing activity off Norway and the ongoing challenge of the so-called shadow fleet, as factors reinforcing his concerns of a looming Arctic confrontation.

Denmark’s determination to prepare for potential conflict has become evident in its actions — the country conducted its largest-ever military exercises in Greenland this September, which, unlike previous drills focused on search and rescue, were explicitly designed for combat readiness.

Andersen described Russia as a “regional superpower in the Arctic,” noting that Moscow has expanded its bases and offensive capabilities in the region over recent decades. While Russia’s forces are currently tied up in Ukraine, he warned that “once the war is over,” Moscow is likely to redirect military resources northward and adapt new weapons technologies for Arctic use.

Danish intelligence agencies have echoed these concerns, cautioning that in such a scenario, Russia could “pose a direct threat to NATO.”

By Nazrin Sadigova