Denmark has officially launched an expanded compulsory military service program, sending the first new recruits to strategic positions in Greenland.
The decision comes at a time of unprecedented geopolitical tension over the autonomous Arctic territory and a complicated security environment in Europe.
Reuters reports that the new recruits have already begun their training, which has been extended from 4 to 11 months. For the first time in the country's history, women are included in the mandatory mobilization through a lottery system.
Strategic deployment in the Arctic
The main focus of the large-scale reform is guaranteeing sovereignty over Greenland. According to data from the Ministry of Defense in Copenhagen:
Over 100 conscripts are being deployed directly to Greenland. Recruits will take operational tasks from the professional army. Training includes 5 months base and 6 months actual field service. Specialized units are being created, including for drone control.The change in strategy is dictated by the ongoing diplomatic friction and aggressive rhetoric surrounding the island's status. We recall that earlier this year, a statement by the Donald Trump administration in the US regarding the annexation of the resource-rich region caused shock at the highest levels of European diplomacy. Then the Danish public radio DR revealed secret plans to send explosives and humanitarian supplies of blood to the island in the event of a possible attempt at foreign intervention.
Threats from two fronts
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said during the last NATO summit that the country was ready to defend "every inch of its territory". In addition to pressure from overseas, Copenhagen also motivates the military buildup with the increasing unpredictability of Russia in the Arctic Circle and the Baltic region.
By 2033, Denmark plans to increase the number of regular conscripts to 7,500 people per year to ensure the stability of NATO's northern flank, military experts told the BBC.