Ebad Ahmed
25 April 2025•Update: 25 April 2025
COPENHAGEN
Denmark's intelligence agency claimed on Friday that a Russian-backed influence operation involving Greenland elections targeted Danish parliamentarian Karsten Honge in January 2025.
The operation involved a fabricated social media post falsely claiming that Denmark sought Russian support to prevent Greenland from joining the United States, according to a press release issued on Friday by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (FE).
The post was created by an online influencer known for promoting pro-Russian narratives in Ukraine. The person is allegedly linked to a larger influence network working on behalf of the Russian state, the statement claimed, citing the French anti-disinformation agency Viginum.
The false message appeared on multiple social media platforms and media outlets, attempting to stir up controversy about Greenland's geopolitical status, according to the intelligence agency, which believes the campaign aimed to exacerbate tensions between Denmark and the US by exploiting the sensitive debate over Greenland's future.
Officials believe the operation is part of a larger Russian strategy to undermine transatlantic unity and reduce Western support for Ukraine, according to the statement.
By targeting internal Western debates and democratic figures, it claimed that Russia aims to sow distrust and division among allies.
While the timing coincided with the Greenlandic election period, FE believes it is unlikely that the disinformation was intended to influence election results. Instead, the main goal appears to have been to destabilize Western alliances through targeted information manipulation.
On Feb. 28, the Danish intelligence agency claimed that cyber espionage posed a significant threat to Greenland, emphasizing Russia's strategic interest in exploiting NATO country divisions.
While the report does not predict a large-scale, coordinated Russian influence campaign in Greenland, it does suggest that Russia could use ongoing tensions to advance its long-term geopolitical goals.
“Russia is likely to leverage the situation in Greenland as part of its broader effort to create divisions within Western alliances and undermine the credibility of the United States,” the intelligence report stated.
