Denmark: The Danish Defence Ministry has announced that there will be a surge in military traffic this weekend as the nation undertakes the largest deployment of force and equipment in Europe since Kosovo in 1999.
As part of NATO‘s deterrent operation against Russia, hundreds of vehicles and equipment will be transported from Denmark’s barracks and other locations to the Port of Køge, from where it will sail to Latvia next week.
Parliament authorised deploying a combat battalion with up to 1,000 Danish soldiers to Latvia on Thursday, and the Danish Defense Ministry announced that the soldiers, as well as their equipment and trucks, will be on the roads this weekend.
It can be predicted that there will be more military traffic on country roads and highways: the Training Regiment in Aalborg, for example, must transport vehicles from North Jutland to Køge through Funen.
“It is a straightforward signal to the Baltic nations that we take their security concern seriously,” said Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod.
From the beginning of May, the soldiers are expected to be ready to join NATO command to help deter possible threats in the eastern region of Europe, which borders Russia.
The increase in the number of Danish soldiers in Latvia, according to the Danish military, is part of an ongoing partnership with the Baltic countries.
Denmark, in recent years, has carried out various military exercises and missions with the Baltic soldiers.
Apart from the vehicles and battalion group, the country has also provided NATO with a surveillance plane, a frigate warship and mobile air defence radar system.
A spokesman of the Danish military said that the country had created a temporary military area in Køge Harbour in early March, where military equipment had already been shipped.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Denmark would increase its military equipment and weapons contribution to Ukraine by 600 million kroner.
