Thousands of Danish soldiers begin largest military exercise since Cold War

Thousands of Danish soldiers have begun what is being described as the country's largest military exercise since the Cold War, with up to 6,500 volunteers from the Danish Army Home Guard participating.

The scale of the exercise marks a notable expansion compared to previous training drills conducted by Denmark's armed forces, reflecting an apparent increase in the country's focus on military readiness.

Part of a wider European trend

Denmark's exercise comes amid a broader pattern across European NATO members of expanding military training and readiness efforts, a trend that has accelerated in recent years alongside heightened concerns over regional security in Europe.

The Home Guard, a volunteer-based component of Denmark's defense structure, plays a role distinct from the country's standing military forces, typically supporting territorial defense and civil security tasks alongside regular units during large-scale exercises.

Details on the specific objectives, duration and locations of the exercise were not fully outlined in available reporting, though its scale alone marks it as a significant undertaking for Danish defense planning.