Denmark's strategic Baltic Sea island of Bornholm is defended today by a military force caught in a critical transition. The Bornholm Regiment was officially re-established on January 1, 2023, ending a 25-year absence. Yet its commanding officer describes the current moment as the most fragile imaginable. This vulnerability stems from the complex process of building a new fighting unit from the ground up while maintaining a constant defensive posture. The island's security currently relies on a mix of re-training personnel and utilizing existing resources, a temporary solution with permanent stakes.
For a senior officer like Oversergent Michael Kristensen, a bornholmer himself, this period is fraught with professional tension. He must oversee the creation of a fully functional regiment while ensuring the island's protection never lapses. "We are in the middle of the shift," Kristensen said, describing the intensive re-training and recruitment drive now underway. "But here in the middle of it, we find ourselves at 'the most fragile point' you can imagine." His words underscore a military truth: rebuilding capability takes time, and time is a luxury in an increasingly tense region.
The Strategic Weight of Baltic Rock
Bornholm is not just another Danish island. Its location in the Baltic Sea, approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Copenhagen and 35 kilometers from the Swedish coast, gives it outsized strategic importance. Historically, it has been a point of contention, occupied by German forces in 1945 and then briefly by Soviet troops. Today, it serves as Denmark's easternmost sentry, a key platform for monitoring naval and air activity in the Baltic. The decision to disband its regiment in 2000 reflected a post-Cold War optimism that now seems distant. The re-establishment in 2023 is a direct response to a new era of geopolitical friction, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Military analysts view the move as an integral part of NATO's broader effort to fortify the alliance's eastern flank. "Bornholm is a strategic linchpin," said Hans Peter Michaelsen, an independent defense analyst. "It allows for enhanced situational awareness and acts as a tripwire, demonstrating Allied resolve. Re-establishing the regiment sends a clear signal of Denmark's commitment to territorial defense and regional stability." The regiment's stated primary mission is twofold: to defend Bornholm itself and to contribute to the wider maritime picture in the Baltic Sea, a corridor of vital importance for NATO reinforcement plans.
Building an Army While Standing Guard
The practical challenge is monumental. You cannot simply declare a regiment into existence. The Danish Defence is engaged in a meticulous build-up, a process that involves both re-tooling existing professionals and attracting new recruits specifically for service on the island. Soldiers from other branches of the army are undergoing conversion training to adapt to the regiment's specific infantry and coastal defense roles. Concurrently, recruitment campaigns aim to draw both bornholmers and Danes from the mainland who are willing to be stationed on the island long-term.
This dual-track approach creates the fragility Oversergent Kristensen identified. The unit is in a state of flux, with personnel arriving, training, and integrating. Full operational capability, which includes not just trained soldiers but also established logistics, command structures, and local knowledge, is a target on the horizon. Until that target is reached, the island's defense relies on improvisation and the dedication of its current force. "We defend the island with 'what we have'," Kristensen stated, summarizing the interim reality. This means making optimal use of every available soldier, piece of equipment, and ounce of institutional memory during the transition.
A Window of Vulnerability in a Tense Time
Expert commentary suggests this transitional phase represents a calculated risk. While the political decision to restore the regiment is widely seen as necessary, the military must manage the consequent window of vulnerability. "There is always a gap between political intent and military capability," Michaelsen noted. "The declaration is made, but the building blocks take years to assemble and cement. The key is to minimize that gap and ensure deterrence remains credible throughout the process."
The Danish military is likely employing several strategies to mitigate this risk. These include possibly heightened readiness for rapid reaction forces from the mainland, increased cooperation with Allied patrols in the Baltic air and sea space, and intensified intelligence-sharing. The very presence of the regiment, even in its nascent form, alters the strategic calculus. It represents a permanent commitment that would require an adversary to commit more forces to any potential action, thereby raising the threshold for aggression.
The Human Element of Island Defense
Beyond strategy and hardware, the success of the Bornholm Regiment hinges on people. Integration with the local community of some 40,000 residents is crucial. For decades, Bornholm had a deep connection with its military, and its dissolution left a void. The return of the regiment is not just a security issue but a social and economic one for the island. Soldiers become part of the community, their families attend local schools, and they contribute to the economy. The recruitment drive specifically seeks individuals who understand and embrace island life.
Oversergent Kristensen, as a native, embodies this connection. His perspective bridges the military mission and the civilian reality. The regiment's legitimacy depends on being seen as part of Bornholm's fabric, its protectors rather than an external imposition. This social contract is being rewritten in real time. The local municipality and social centers will play a role in facilitating this integration, ensuring that the soldiers and their families are supported, which in turn strengthens the regiment's stability and morale.
Denmark's Defense Investment in Focus
The rebirth of the Bornholm Regiment occurs within the context of a significant expansion of Denmark military spending. In 2023, the Danish government committed to meeting the NATO target of allocating 2% of GDP to defense, a substantial increase that funds projects like the Bornholm regiment, new fighter jets, and expanded naval capabilities. This spending is a direct investment in Baltic Sea security, a region now viewed as a potential flashpoint.
Each kroner spent on Bornholm is a statement about Denmark's assessment of the threat environment. It is a move from a period of expeditionary warfare to a renewed focus on territorial defense. The island is a tangible asset where this policy shift becomes concrete. The challenges faced by Oversergent Kristensen and his team—recruiting, training, integrating—are the on-the-ground manifestations of a national political decision to re-prioritize national security in a changed world.
As the Baltic Sea grows colder and darker this winter, the soldiers of the nascent Bornholm Regiment continue their work. They train in the island's forests and along its rugged coastline, building the unit that will one day stand as its definitive shield. For now, they operate in that fragile space between the old absence and the new, full-strength presence. Their task is to ensure that the island is never undefended, even for a day, during this precarious birth. The success of this endeavor will be measured not by a single event, but by the quiet, consistent achievement of reaching full strength without incident—a testament to planning, professionalism, and the enduring strategic importance of a rocky island in a contested sea.