Denmark Running Low on Helmets, Bulletproof Vests Amid Special Op in Ukraine

According to a retailer, combat equipment is mostly being procured by Danes who want to donate it to Ukrainians, Ukrainians who want to travel home, and Danes – typically with a past in the Armed Forces – who want to fight for the Ukrainian side.

The demand for combat equipment has soared in Denmark amid Russia's special operation in Ukraine, to the point of several retailers having sold out their merchandise.

At the store VagtShop, inquiries about vests, helmets, radio and medical equipment have peaked, resulting in warehouses being emptied, owner John Brinck told TV2.

Elite Armor, a Danish manufacturer of protective equipment that cooperates, among others, with the Danish police, reported unseen demand for their goods.

"We are completely shut down and cannot follow the inquiries at all", Søren Nepper of Elite Armor's customer service told TV2.

He said that employees at their factories have started working in shifts around the clock to produce as much as possible.

According to Elite Armor, the demand is highest for bulletproof vests and helmets with protection level four, which can withstand shots from heavier rifles, such as the AK-47.

Elite Armor said it had received inquiries from relief organisations, companies, and individuals from several European countries, who want to go to Ukraine and fight.

The website Grejfreak.dk also reported having sold all the helmets and bulletproof vests they had in stock, alongside ceramic plates used for the vests.

Per the website, the customers include Danes who want to donate equipment to Ukrainians, Ukrainians who want to travel home and take part in the hostilities, and Danes – typically with a past in the Armed Forces – who want to fight for the Ukrainian side.

The Russian operation in Ukraine meant to demilitarise and "de-Nazify" the country in en effort to protect the Donbass Republics sparked several young Danes to go to Ukraine to support its cause, despite little to no military experience, TV2 reported. The young Danes have been encouraged by, among others, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who welcomed volunteers from across the globe. This sparked a warning by Niels Hartvig Andersen, chairman of Denmark's Veterans.

"Think carefully. This can cost lives if it goes wrong. There are some who are trained for it and some who aren't. Those who aren't must stay away", Niels Hartvig Andersen said.

The Danish government has donated protective equipment and sanitary bags to Ukrainian soldiers at the country's request. The Danish assistance includes 2,000 TYR vests, which protect against fragments and bullets, and 700 sanitary bags.