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Dec 9, 2025
Danish Arctic chief expects High North arms race after Ukraine war
Defense News
MILAN -- The prospect of a conflict in the Arctic is rising, Denmark's Arctic commander has warned, with the expectation of Russia turning its attention to the High North if and when the Ukraine war ends.
"My expectation is that when the war in Ukraine is over, Russia will devote its efforts to arming itself in the Arctic," Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, commander of Denmark's Joint Arctic Command, said in an interview published this week by the Danish Armed Forces magazine Honnør.
The Arctic has become a geopolitical hotspot, primarily due to the impact of climate change on melting sea ice, which has made the region more accessible for shipping and resource extraction.
The Scandinavian country has ramped up its military presence to defend Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
In June, as part of this broader military reinforcement and training exercises, Denmark deployed a frigate and two EH101 Merlin helicopters to Greenland, the aircraft's first time there.
"Our Armed Forces have shown that we can deploy from Denmark to Greenland at short notice - one example is the Merlin rescue helicopters, which can fly from Karup Air Base to Nuuk in 13 hours. They've been absolutely crucial for the training there," Andersen said.
The Arctic is one of the most challenging operational environments for militaries. The extreme weather conditions make flying and navigation difficult or altogether impossible, and the lack of infrastructure means there are few places to refuel or land in case of emergencies. In some situations, the only travel options are by dogsled or snowmobile.
The Danish commander argued that due to these challenges, more allies need to train in Greenland to gain exposure and grow accustomed to carrying out operations in tough settings.
Another area of concern is the remote Svalbard archipelago, located between mainland Norway, to which it belongs, and the North Pole.
A report published Nov. 27 by the Arctic Institute cautioned that S
