Denmark Extends Military Service amid Security Concerns

Around 1,600 conscripts in Denmark began an extended term of military service on Monday, with compulsory service now lasting 11 months instead of four. The Nordic country is accelerating its military buildup in response to the war in Ukraine and growing security concerns in the Arctic.

Since last year, compulsory military service has also applied to women for the first time. Denmark plans to increase the number of conscripts from 5,000 to 7,000 annually by 2033.

At the end of August, Denmark will send conscripts to Greenland for the first time. More than 100 soldiers will take over some of the duties of professional military units on the island for one month. The deployment comes after US President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed interest in annexing the semi autonomous Danish territory. Denmark and Greenland have both rejected the proposal.

The new conscripts will complete five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service. The armed forces are also introducing new specializations, including a unit dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles.

Denmark selects conscripts through a lottery among medically fit 18-year-olds, although the majority of military service has so far been carried out by volunteers.

(Reuters, bak)