Danish soldiers in Latvia lack ammunition and sleep in moldy tents
News
Due to a lack of ammunition and equipment, the Danish defense had to cancel a military exercise in Latvia.
– To put it mildly, we lack everything from ammunition to underpants. This is the sad period I have been in the Armed Forces. And I have put a little of everything for 20 years, says a Danish soldier DR.
He is one of the 350 Danish soldiers who in a few days in March were sent to the camp Niflheim in Latvia to deter Putin and defend the Baltic country.
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But according to the Danish national broadcaster DR News the ammunition remained in Denmark.
The Defense Command confirms to the newspaper that it leads to the soldiers in the camp not receiving completed training important due to lack of ammunition.
– This is after all about life and death. This causes the level to drop. If Putin chooses to cross the border here, then we are not 100 percent ready, says the elected soldier to DR.
– A logistics problem
Colonel Jens Lønborg is responsible for the deployed soldiers. He admits to the Danish newspaper that it was a logistics problem that was not solved in time before the soldiers left Denmark.
He nevertheless said that the exposed soldiers have had sharp ammunition from the start, which is to be used in cases and Russian attacks.
Within a week, all ammunition must be in place, he states.
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– Ammunition is not like carrying everything else. Among other things, it takes a little longer to get the necessary allocations. So you can not just say “we lack ammunition, now we drive it over”, Lønborg added DR News.
The Colonel points out that even if the soldiers do not get shot as much as they usually do, it will not be a critical level.
– There are shooting drills that have been canceled. Men one can run on drills and train military formations, technical and tactical training without ammunition, he says.
Must be moved
The Danish soldier informs DR News that the tents sent to the camp were moldy and lacked the necessary equipment.
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The Colonel points out that this will be taken care of continuously and that a new leader will be established in the coming months.
– It is simply necessary. The place they live now is too worn and too used. But it was the best there was.