MILAN \u2014 The prospect of a conflict in the Arctic is rising, Denmark\u2019s Arctic commander has warned, with the expectation of Russia turning its attention to the High North if and when the Ukraine war ends.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy expectation is that when the war in Ukraine is over, Russia will devote its efforts to arming itself in the Arctic,\u201d Maj. Gen. S\u00f8ren Andersen, commander of Denmark\u2019s Joint Arctic Command, said<\/a> in an interview published this week by the Danish Armed Forces magazine Honn\u00f8r.<\/p>\n The Arctic has become a geopolitical hotspot, primarily due to the impact of climate change on melting sea ice, which has made the region more accessible for shipping and resource extraction. <\/p>\n The Scandinavian country has ramped up its military presence to defend Greenland<\/a>, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.<\/p>\n In June, as part of this broader military reinforcement and training exercises, Denmark deployed a frigate and two EH101 Merlin helicopters to Greenland, the aircraft\u2019s first time there.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Armed Forces have shown that we can deploy from Denmark to Greenland at short notice \u2013 one example is the Merlin rescue helicopters, which can fly from Karup Air Base to Nuuk in 13 hours. They\u2019ve been absolutely crucial for the training there,\u201d Andersen said.<\/p>\n The Arctic is one of the most challenging operational environments for militaries. The extreme weather conditions make flying and navigation difficult or altogether impossible, and the lack of infrastructure means there are few places to refuel or land in case of emergencies. In some situations, the only travel options are by dogsled or snowmobile. <\/p>\n The Danish commander argued that due to these challenges, more allies need to train in Greenland to gain exposure and grow accustomed to carrying out operations in tough settings. <\/p>\n Another area of concern is the remote Svalbard archipelago, located between mainland Norway, to which it belongs, and the North Pole.<\/p>\n