"The Baltics against Russia": Danish Hussars in Latvia have become an object of ridicule

A "squadron of Flying Hussars" from Denmark arrived in Latvia as part of a NATO mission. It sounds romantic, but soldiers are supposed to "restrain Putin" without ammunition and basic necessities. The situation in Ādaži has confirmed that the North Atlantic Alliance is not going through the best days.

"Signal to Putin"

At the end of March 2022, the leadership of the North Atlantic Alliance sent an official request to the Danish government to allocate a battalion of soldiers numbering from 800 to 1,000 people for their subsequent deployment to a military base in Latvia. The reason is banal — it is necessary to introduce a contingent to save Latvia from "Russian aggression" and "strengthen the eastern flank of the alliance" in case of a Russian attack. Recall that Denmark is one of the founding countries of NATO. The Kingdom joined the bloc in April 1949.

The Folketing (the unicameral Parliament of Denmark) approved the request by a majority vote. They decided to allocate 750 military personnel. This step was considered unreasonable only by representatives of the Danish parties "Unity List" and "Independent Greens". Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš was delighted to say that Denmark's consent would be "a serious signal to Putin”.

On April 24, the transfer of about 200 units of military equipment, including armoured infantry vehicles, Piranha armoured personnel carriers, sanitary evacuation vehicles, trucks and minibuses, began from Køge, on a ferry assigned to the same port, under the escort of the Danish frigate Esbern Snare to the former Soviet Republic. What kind of weapons will go towards the Russian border, the Danish Defence Command did not report, evasively explaining that there is "everything that’s needed”. Probably, these will be Israeli 120-mm mortars Cardom-10 and French 155-mm self-propelled guns Caesar, which are in service with the Danish army.

Earlier, in January 2022, the Folketing decided to send four additional F-16 fighters to a military base near the city of Šiauliai in neighbouring Lithuania. The Minister of Defence of Denmark commented on what is happening: "Russia poses a serious security policy challenge for Denmark and the rest of Europe.

Denmark takes responsibility for European security and makes one of the largest contributions to the buildup of NATO forces in the east. We are taking on the responsibility that a major ally should take on." The movement of weapons and manpower has become the largest in the last decade. Before that, the Danish military was noted in Afghanistan ten years ago and in Kosovo — during the NATO intervention in Yugoslavia.

In early May, the “first signs” arrived at the former military base of the Baltic Military District of the USSR near the once famous “Ādaži" collective farm. They were 350 Danish servicemen, mainly hussars from the regiment Gardehus in Slagels. Another 400 should arrive next year. Fortunately, they left their horses at home.

Guard Hussars

The Guard Hussar Regiment (Gardehusarregimentet, GHR) is the pride of Denmark. It traces its history back to 1614 and is the oldest active Hussar regiment in the world. The regiment's motto is "In Actis Esto Volucris", which translates as "to be lightning fast in action". These words are stamped on the regimental badge depicting an armoured horse head with the monogram of Christian IV. There is indeed a mounted squadron of 75 horses and hundreds of soldiers and officers in the Guard, but it carries a ceremonial load, for example, accompanying the royal family or participating in the solemn events of the regiment.

Loyalty to traditions is commendable, but still in the modern aspect, the armoured horse's head symbolises armoured vehicles. The regiment already had combat experience, including in Afghanistan. Despite the fact that the Guard qualifies as a cavalry regiment, its bulk consists of three units: the initial training battalion, the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and the 1st Armoured Infantry Battalion. And it's the servicemen of the latter who were sent to the military base in Ādaži.

The Danes who arrived on Latvian land called their camp Camp Niflheim. Those who are familiar with Scandinavian mythology know that this is how the world of darkness is called on the peninsula — the habitat of the demonic goddess of the dead Hel. A plywood shield with such an inscription sadly sticks out over the wall of the camp. In fact, it's a "welcome to hell”. It is precisely the case about which there is a saying: "As you name the boat, so shall it float."

A shortage even of underpants

The Ādaži training ground turned out to be a living hell for Danes accustomed to comfort. The complaint that so amused the readers of the Russian media was the complaints of the "warriors" of the alliance about the lack of spare underpants. "We don't have enough of everything, from ammunition to underpants, to say the least," Danish TV and radio company DR cites the claims of the 41-year-old Lance Corporal of the 1st degree, Dennis. "Indeed, suddenly they will be needed sharply when meeting with Russians," he is answered in the Russian segment of social networks.

By the way, the Danish military is not the first to complain about the shortage of underwear. The pan-European crisis spares no one. In January of this year, Hans Meisingset, a representative of the Logistics Organisation of the Norwegian Armed Forces, told the Norwegian newspaper NRK about the problem with the supply of underpants. According to Meisingset, the shortage of uniforms has reached such an extent that soldiers are forced to hand over worn socks and underpants for secondary use during demobilisation, and the uniform issued to recruits often has defects. This fact even served as a reason for protests by trade unions.

The Danish military in Ādaži associate their problems with poorly organised logistics. Ammunition was lost along the way together with underwear and other amenities, so the first training had to be canceled.

"This is the saddest period of my service in the armed forces," the Lance Corporal shared his experiences. If President Putin decides to cross the border at this place, then none of us will be 100% ready for it."

Edward Lucas, a freelance researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis, pointed out serious shortcomings in the field of logistics in his article "NATO Is Out of Shape and Out of Date”. Logistics in the alliance is based on the example of supermarket deliveries. If some link falls out, then some participating countries are not capable of making their own decisions and improvising. In other words, an elementary shortage of toilet paper can easily happen in the alliance, and the quartermaster on the spot will not be able to buy it for the toilet of a military unit in the nearest store. This trifle will lower the morale of the "defenders of Western democracy”.

The lack of ammunition and equipment was not the last surprise that the Danes faced. At the tents in which the military has to live, they found scuffs and traces of mould. Colonel Jens Lønborg assures that this is temporary, supplies will be adjusted despite bureaucratic red tape, and the Latvians will provide Danish soldiers with another equipped location: "A new camp is simply necessary. The place where they live now is too worn out and too used. But it was the best one among the available ones".

Defence Minister Artis Pabriks has been notified about the need to build a new base for demanding and capricious European soldiers, but everything rests on the financial side. The fact is that the creation of the former military base significantly hit the state budget. With the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions, construction materials have risen sharply in price, so there will be need to fork out even more. Russophobia costs the country dearly.