Joint Arctic Command answers questions

By Defence Command Denmark

On Monday afternoon, approximately 40 men and women gathered in the Community Centre in Nuuk to hear the Chief of Joint Arctic Command, Major General Søren Andersen, talk about the increased military presence that Greenlanders will experience in the coming period.

“We will train sea rescue and removal of pollution at sea in the coming days. But we will also train conventional defence. It is something we do because we have to,” said Søren Andersen.

The meeting in Nuuk is the first of three public meetings planned for the coming period. One is also planned in Kangerlussuaq and one in Sisimiut. The purpose of the meetings is to inform citizens and provide an opportunity to ask questions.

"There has long been a common desire to keep the Arctic as a low tension area. And this has been good. But we have to face that it cannot continue as it is. We are currently seeing the Russians being more active in the Arctic. And we are seeing the Chinese and the Russians working together. It is not happening near Greenland, but we have to take it seriously. Greenland is a special place to work and move around. That is why we have to send soldiers and equipment up here from Denmark to train. We have to know the terrain and continuously work in the environment," said Søren Andersen.

Increased presence

In the coming days, the Danish Armed Forces will primarily train search and rescue in collaboration with a ship from Royal Arctic Line. This collaboration will also be used to train in containment of oil pollution at sea. Later, in several places in Greenland, it will be possible to experience helicopters, fighter jets, large warships and soldiers from both Slesvigske Fodregiment and the Danish Home Guard, who will either contribute to surveillance and assert sovereignty or train guarding critical infrastructure among other things.

“We are well aware of the hunting season in the areas, and we will do our very best to avoid affecting the environment where we will be practicing. We are extremely aware of this situation,” said Søren Andersen.

Questions from the room

A number of questions were asked from the room. Some of the questions were about the condition of the large ships and the plans to increase surveillance in the Arctic. There was also a question about whether Denmark is too small a country to defend an area as large as Greenland.

To this, Søren Andersen replied that the defense of Greenland must be seen in a larger perspective.

“We are part of NATO. Denmark and Greenland must take responsibility first if something should arise, but then there will be support from the rest of NATO. Even though the Greenlandic people are peaceful and always have been, unfortunately we cannot decide whether Greenland risks being drawn into a conflict or not. This was also the case in Ukraine.”