Denmark has completed the deployment of a combat battalion to Camp Valdemar in Latvia. Over 800 Danish soldiers and hundreds of vehicles have arrived in Latvia. The unit will contribute to NATO's defence of the eastern flank until January 2027. The battalion will form part of NATO's readiness force and train alongside other units in the Canadian-led multinational brigade in the country.
The Danish Defence announces that military vehicles and other equipment were transported by sea from Denmark under escort by the Danish frigate Esbern Snare. The operation was coordinated within the framework of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and was carried out with support from the Swedish corvette HMS Nyköping as well as a British P-8 maritime patrol aircraft.
The majority of the soldiers were simultaneously flown to Latvia aboard a combined transport and aerial refuelling aircraft from the multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) unit in which Denmark participates. The flight was escorted by Danish, Swedish and Turkish fighter aircraft.
"With our deployment to Latvia, we are demonstrating Denmark's willingness to build a strong collective defence of NATO's eastern flank and thereby deter any adversaries from attacking our allies," says the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Karina Wøbbe.
During the deployment, the battalion will take part in a series of exercises together with allied units. The aim is described as strengthening the brigade's combat capability, training in Latvian terrain and developing the ability to operate in a multinational environment.
This is the fifth time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that Denmark has sent a combat battalion to Latvia.