Denmark sends Danish troops to Ukraine, and Russia warns: ”An escalatory step and legitimate targets.”

According to Danish media, the Danish army announced its intention to send a number of its soldiers to Ukraine to participate in training courses on the use of new combat technologies, primarily attack drones, in a move that sparked strong criticism and warnings from the Russian side, which described the Danish soldiers as “legitimate targets” on the battlefield.

According to what the Danish army commander, Major General Peter Boesen, told TV2, the soldiers will be sent to Ukraine without weapons, and will participate in courses lasting between one and two weeks, which are expected to start as soon as possible, perhaps in the summer of this year.

“We are sending them to learn from Ukrainian experiences in the field, not to participate in the fighting,” said Boysen, explaining that the deployment of these teams came at the official invitation of his Ukrainian counterpart.

Boissen noted that the Danish army has already begun receiving batches of attack drones, with the first group, comprising approximately 100 aircraft, arriving recently, and hundreds more expected to arrive soon. Soldiers are currently being trained to use them at the Varde military barracks.

The general continued: “In the 42 years I have spent in the army, I have never seen change as rapid as what we are witnessing now,” noting that more than 70% of Ukrainian lethal strikes against Russian forces are carried out using drones, according to Ukrainian military estimates.

Russia: An escalatory step and a direct threat

The Russian reaction was swift and sharp, with the Russian ambassador in Copenhagen, Vladimir Barbin, expressing in a written statement to TV2 that Moscow categorically rejects the move, considering that sending Danish soldiers to Ukraine “plunges Denmark deeper into the conflict” and could lead to “an uncontrollable escalation.”.

Barbin emphasized that “military facilities, including training centers, military headquarters, and locations of soldiers and equipment, whether on the front or deep inside Ukraine, are legitimate targets for the Russian armed forces.”.

The ambassador also noted that the Danish decision “contradicts ongoing efforts to reach a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine,” warning that the move “endangers the lives of Danish soldiers.”.

Training in areas far from the front lines

In an attempt to counter these warnings, Major General Boissen emphasized in his statement to TV2 that Danish soldiers would not be deployed in combat zones, but rather that training would take place in relatively safe areas, such as the city of Lviv in western Ukraine. He said, “The Ukrainian army has very effective early warning systems, as well as good shelters. I spent some time in one of them in Kyiv.”.

When asked whether soldiers could be forced to go, Boissen replied: “I don’t think soldiers would refuse to go, but yes, we can compel them to participate if necessary.”.

A shift in roles: from recipient to teacher

Major General Boysen asserts that the initiative represents a shift in the relationship between Ukraine and Western countries, as Kyiv had been receiving support from NATO for three years, but has now also become a source of combat expertise for allied countries.

In this context, the Danish Defence Command, led by Lieutenant General Mikael Hildegard, sent military delegations from the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the Military Academy, to Ukraine, with the aim of expanding cooperation and exchanging experiences.

“We have a lot to learn from the Ukrainian combat experience,” Boissen explained. “It is only natural that we should use it to enhance our military readiness.”.

Preparing to counter drone threats

At the Vard barracks, work continues on developing defensive strategies inspired by the Ukrainian experience, as army units cover the corridors to protect them from air attacks, build armored fortifications around tanks, and create defensive positions capable of resisting drones.

This new approach reflects a strategic shift in Denmark’s defense strategy, which draws on the experience of the war in Ukraine, which has become a source of inspiration for how to address modern threats.