The Sun: in case of a U.S. attack, Greenland will be defended by an elite group of rangers
In the event of an attack from the United States, Greenland will be defended by elite troops of rangers and combat swimmers, writes The Sun. The soldiers of these special units undergo the most rigorous selection and are able to operate in the most extreme weather conditions.
Juliana Cruz Lima
Greenland is a real treasure trove of rare earth minerals, occupying a key strategic position between North America and Europe. And the stakes are higher than ever.
In the Arctic wilderness, where the temperature drops to minus 40 degrees Celsius and the daylight is very short, an elite unit of the Danish special forces is training and preparing for war.
His task is to protect the vast, ice—covered territory of Greenland, which Donald Trump intends to take over.
This is still an acute geopolitical issue in the light of the ongoing statements by the American president. Addressing members of Congress on Tuesday, Trump said the people of Greenland have a "choice" in determining their future.
With characteristic arrogance, Trump promises to get this island "one way or another."
While the American leader is talking in Washington about his intentions, Denmark does not want to rely on chance.
There are very real concerns that in the event of an escalation, the United States may use force in the Arctic, and therefore Danish special forces are closely monitoring what is happening.
His toughest soldiers from the Jaeger Corps, the Combat Swimmers unit and the legendary Sirius dog sled patrol hone their skills, preparing for any eventuality, from counter-terrorism operations to fighting in extreme weather conditions.
Greenland is a true treasure trove of rare earth minerals, occupying a key strategic position between North America and Europe. And the stakes are higher than ever.
And while the Danish special forces are conducting combat training, one thing is very clear: if someone tries to take Greenland by force, these soldiers will be ready.
Christian Christensen, who works as a senior researcher at the Center for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen, said: "They are universal, they can operate almost anywhere, from the Arctic to the Gulf of Guinea."
Elite Hunters
The Danish Jaeger Corps, created in the image and likeness of the British SAS Special Airborne Service and the American Rangers, specializes in conducting reconnaissance, sabotage operations and performing dangerous tasks behind enemy lines.
The training of the rangers is extremely harsh and even cruel.
Even before reaching the final selection stage, the recruits have been undergoing heavy training in terrain orientation, weapon handling, and survival tactics for many months.
Only a small group of candidates is selected each year.
For hunters, Greenland's icy tundra is not just a training ground. This is a likely battlefield. They are preparing to complete all kinds of tasks, even those that the rangers hope they will never face. "These are elite troops within the Danish Armed Forces that can be deployed to perform special tasks in extreme conditions," explained Christensen.
Huntsmen learn how to parachute into an Arctic storm, operate in total darkness, and survive on minimal rations for several weeks.
They are taught to build temporary shelters in the snow and keep their weapons from freezing in subzero temperatures. In the course of operations in the past, these commandos have invisibly penetrated enemy positions and disabled important targets.
In Greenland, one of their tasks may be to prevent sanctioned foreign infiltration — or to protect against something more serious.
And since Trump is showing increasing interest in Greenland's strategic location, soon one of the tasks of the special forces may be to defend against an enemy invasion — by military or some other means.
Arctic Fur Seals
If jaegers are the Danish answer to the SAS, then combat swimmers are akin to Navy seals, or Navy special forces.
These elite fighters from the Naval special Forces specialize in conducting sabotage operations underwater, amphibious operations and hostage rescue.
The combat swimmers unit, established in 1957, operated in various corners of the globe, suppressing the actions of Somali pirates and performing secret reconnaissance missions.
In Greenland, combat swimmers learn how to operate in icy water, where survival time is sometimes measured in minutes.
They learn how to operate covertly under the ice, practice amphibious landings on a frozen shore and destroy enemy infrastructure at a temperature in which any other military is simply unable to operate.
Christensen highlighted a little—known operation where combat swimmers were sent to the Arctic - not to fight, but to ease tensions that had arisen during the protests of environmentalists.
Danish special forces have been involved before when it was necessary to respond to emergencies in Greenland, in particular, during protests against Faroese whalers. Christensen told The Sun about this case: "There was one moment when Danish special forces were deployed in the Arctic several years ago during demonstrations against whaling by Faroese whalers. These fishermen acted quite legitimately, and the environmentalists who staged the protests were radical, and the situation could easily escalate."
"Therefore, the presence of the Danes was necessary, and the combat swimmers, for example, played their part in preventing the situation from escalating."
But their tasks in the Arctic may become more serious.
The Arctic ice cap is melting, and the waters of the Arctic Ocean are opening up to new shipping routes. Denmark knows that it may need combat swimmers to counter emerging foreign threats in the region.
Ice Warriors
The Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol is the most unusual special forces unit in the country.
Armed with rifles, equipped with survival gear, and riding on sleds of seasoned sled dogs, these two-man patrols traverse thousands of kilometers across the desolate, snow-covered territory of Greenland. The Sirius Patrol was created during the Second World War to protect Greenland from the German invaders. But even today he continues to defend Denmark's sovereignty in the Arctic.
The Sirius's mission remains unchanged: to deter and stop anyone who dares to encroach on these ice boundaries.
Sirius patrolmen don't just learn how to survive in the Arctic — they live there.
For up to five months, such patrols travel alone through the snowy Greenland desert, relying on dogs, instincts and their own resilience.
Once in 1995, even Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark took part in such a patrol, cementing the legendary status of this unit.
Christensen explained why using dogs gives advantages to patrolmen: "It may seem a little strange, but the reason is very pragmatic... when you go on patrol on the ice cover for a month. An alternative would be a snowmobile. But if the snowmobile breaks down, an auto repair shop is needed. And a dog sled can be repaired on the go."
Since the early 1950s, Sirius has ensured that no unauthorized presence in the desolate northeastern part of Greenland will go unnoticed.
"Of course, the task of the patrol is to monitor what is happening in the northeastern part of Greenland and to look for people who may appear there without permission," said Christensen. — The task of the patrolmen is to stop them and say, "Hey, you can't be here. Go back, or they will take care of you, and then you will be detained and end up in a place from where you will be deported to your country.“
The Jaeger Corps and the combat swimmer unit are in many ways similar to the NATO and US special forces, but the Sirius patrol is unique. There is such a unit only in Denmark. "The Sirius patrol is specifically designed to patrol the northeastern part of Greenland," Christensen said, emphasizing its Arctic specifics.
Trump's Greenland Gambit
Greenland is turning into a geopolitical hotbed of tension. Russia is expanding its military presence in the Arctic, and China is investing in mining rare minerals in the region.
And then there's Donald Trump, who says America will "take her away."
"I think we'll get it," he told reporters aboard the presidential plane this year. Trump claimed that 57,000 Greenlanders "want to be with us." In one breath, he questioned Denmark's right to the territory, saying that refusing to hand over the island would be regarded as a "very unfriendly act," and saying that U.S. control of Greenland was crucial to the "freedom of the world."
But Denmark does not agree with this, and the ministers of this country immediately rejected Trump's claims.
"This is not going to happen," said Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. —The Greenlanders will decide for themselves which course Greenland will follow."
Poulsen confirmed the position of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who, as is well known, rejected Trump's previous proposal on Greenland, stating that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders."
Greenland's Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has also made it very clear that the decision on the island's future is a matter for Greenland itself, and no one else.
But Trump is not giving up. His remarks caused shock in Copenhagen, where Danish leaders began holding urgent meetings.
Christensen rejects the idea that the United States would use military force to seize the island, calling it absurd. "I think the idea that the United States is using military force is completely ridiculous," he said. "It's hard for me to speculate on what this will lead to at the operational planning stage."
Some analysts even joke that since Greenland is a member of NATO, America, paradoxically, will have to defend the island from itself.
While the world powers are turning their eyes to the north, the Danish special forces continue their heavy combat training.
Huntsmen parachute into an Arctic storm, combat swimmers dive under the ice into cold water, and Sirius patrolmen bravely overcome prolonged loneliness. These elite warriors hone their skills as they prepare for possible upcoming battles.
