Russia warns Danish army of 'consequences' if they send troops to Ukraine for drone training

By Ebad Ahmed

COPENHAGEN (AA) - Russia has sharply criticized the Danish Armed Forces' proposal to send soldiers to Ukraine for drone training, calling it "a provocative act of military support," state news media outlet DR reported on Wednesday.

"The exchange of combat experience is not a humanitarian action," Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin was quoted by state media as saying, accusing Denmark of misrepresenting military engagement as harmless training.

He warned of "unpredictable consequences," suggesting such actions could risk a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia.

"Sending Danish soldiers to Ukraine to learn how to kill Russians with drones is a deliberate provocation," Barbin told the state media outlet.

In a separate statement to TV 2, the Russian ambassador further cautioned that Denmark would be endangering its troops. "Military facilities—including training centers and personnel—are legitimate targets for the Russian Armed Forces," he said.

- Denmark's response

In response, Major General Boysen, head of the Danish Army, emphasized that any participating soldiers would be unarmed and stationed far from the front lines.

He clarified that no final decision or concrete plans have been made regarding the training initiative.

During the army's latest experience gathering earlier this year, Ukrainians offered Danish soldiers the opportunity to participate in short-term courses and training in Ukraine, as well as the possibility of sending specialists to Denmark, said Major General Peter Harling Boysen in a statement to the DR.

Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, meanwhile, has not issued his reaction on the statements made by the Russian ambassador or the possibility of sending Danish soldiers on a course in Ukraine.