BERLIN — Denmark will grow to be the primary NATO nation to host Ukrainian weapons manufacturing on its territory, with Hearth Level, the producer of Ukraine’s long-range Flamingo cruise missile, set to start making stable rocket gas close to a Danish air base in December.
The ability will likely be positioned adjoining to Skrydstrup Air Base in South Jutland, house to Denmark’s F-16 fighter fleet. The Danish Protection Ministry introduced the association on Wednesday, calling it a part of Denmark’s dedication to Ukrainian safety.
“That is serving to Ukraine in its struggle for safety, its personal independence and, no much less importantly, its capacity to dwell in peace,” Protection Minister Troels Lund Poulsen instructed reporters.
The event represents the primary abroad enlargement of a Ukrainian protection firm and follows a broader settlement reached between Copenhagen and Kyiv in June, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, that enables Ukrainian protection companies to determine manufacturing in Denmark. The Danish authorities has allotted 500 million crowns ($77.8 million) to speed up the institution of the Ukrainian protection business within the nation.
Hearth Level’s domestically developed Flamingo missile, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described as Ukraine’s “most profitable weapon,” reportedly boasts specs together with a 3,000-kilometer vary, a most pace of 950 km/h, and a one-ton warhead. The missile entered mass manufacturing in late 2024, with reviews suggesting it has already been used in opposition to targets in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The timing of the Danish announcement comes as Hearth Level faces scrutiny at house. Ukraine’s Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating the corporate for alleged corruption in state drone procurement contracts, inspecting whether or not Hearth Level overestimated prices and portions in authorities offers.
Denmark has been a steadfast supporter of Ukraine, contributing 67.6 billion Danish crowns ($10.13 billion) in army assist since 2022. The proximity of international weapons manufacturing to important army infrastructure could, nonetheless, current novel safety concerns for Copenhagen and its NATO allies.
The stable rocket gas manufacturing deliberate for the Danish facility provides benefits over liquid propellants, requiring no rapid pre-launch fueling and offering simpler storage and dealing with. Nevertheless, the manufacturing course of includes hazardous supplies and procedures that require intensive security protocols and specialised amenities.
Hearth Level’s worldwide enlargement displays broader Ukrainian efforts to diversify protection manufacturing past home borders, decreasing vulnerability to Russian strikes whereas accessing Western expertise and provide chains.
Zelenskyy introduced in June that Ukraine was pursuing joint weapons manufacturing agreements with Denmark, Norway, Germany, Canada, Britain, and Lithuania. Germany — Ukraine’s foremost backer apart from the U.S. — has additionally introduced plans to deepen integration of the international locations’ protection sectors.
The Ukrainian facility in Denmark is anticipated to start operations on Dec. 1.
Linus Höller is Protection Information’ Europe correspondent and OSINT investigator. He reviews on the arms offers, sanctions, and geopolitics shaping Europe and the world. He holds a grasp’s levels in WMD nonproliferation, terrorism research, and worldwide relations, and works in 4 languages: English, German, Russian, and Spanish.
