Media: In January, Denmark sent explosives and blood supplies to Greenland — preparing for a US invasion

In January, the Danish military sent explosives and blood supplies to Greenland as part of measures in case of a US attack.

This is reported by Danish Radio, citing sources in the Danish government, as well as among high-ranking officials and intelligence representatives from Denmark, France, and Germany.

The explosives were brought specifically to destroy the runways on the island, which would have prevented the landing of American soldiers.

"Danish Radio" writes that its sources are still involved in the issue of the crisis around Greenland. They say that last year was a year of sleepless nights. None of the sources has reliable information about American plans to attack Greenland. However, many feared in January that the US could do so at any time.

Sources from France and Germany claim that in early 2025, shortly after the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, Denmark secretly sought political support. Support was also sought from the Scandinavian countries. The aim was to create a European political alliance to protect Danish territories.

Sources describe the late summer and fall of 2025 as a period when the Greenland crisis was just beginning to escalate. At the time, it was planned that Denmark and its European allies would send soldiers to Greenland during 2026 to show that they were serious about defending the island.

But in January 2026, the situation escalated to the point where the Danish government urgently accelerated the deployment of troops. Eight sources told Danish Radio that the catalyst was the morning of January 3, 2026, when the United States invaded Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro.

Without delay, an advance party of Danish, French, German, Norwegian and Swedish soldiers was first transported to the Greenlandic capital Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, the countryʼs main aviation hub. The main forces moved in immediately after. At the same time, Danish fighter jets and a French naval ship were sent to the North Atlantic.

Externally, the operation was presented as an exercise called “Arctic Endurance”. But a source in the central defense agency said that it was not an exercise, but “a serious matter”. If the US tried to attack, Danish soldiers would have to have ammunition with them and enter the fight. Similarly, Danish F-35 fighters were fully equipped.

Danish Radio was unable to get an answer to the question of whether European allies would fight if American soldiers attacked Greenland. A German official said he was very glad he didnʼt have to answer that.

Only on January 21, at the Davos forum, Donald Trump declared that he would not use military force. However, at that time he stated that no country other than the United States could guarantee the security of Greenland, that the United States was eager to negotiate to purchase the island, and called it “part of North America” and “a territory of the United States”.

Currently, the United States wants to conclude a new defense agreement with Greenland and Denmark to expand its military presence on the island.

Two European officials later confirmed to the Financial Times that Denmark had indeed sent explosives and blood supplies to the island to raise the price for Trump if he wanted to use force.

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