Greenland’s renowned Sirius Patrol (Sirius-patruljen) will now be reinforced with special forces using snowmobiles, following an unprecedented incident involving Russian explorers attempting to cross Greenland illegally using monster trucks.
Russian expedition halted at Greenland’s border
In April and May 2024, Greenlandic authorities intercepted a group known as the “Transglobal Car Expedition,” consisting of twelve people traveling in four specially designed Russian monster trucks. The group had set out across the sea ice from Canada, aiming to traverse Greenland from north to south without securing the necessary permits from Greenlandic authorities.
“When we receive information about someone seemingly trying to avoid border control, it’s crucial to show clearly that this is unacceptable,” explained Greenland’s Chief of Police, Bjørn Tegner Bay.
Monster trucks stranded at military base
Despite warnings from the Sirius Patrol, a Danish special reconnaissance unit, the expedition continued towards Greenland’s territorial waters. Upon crossing into Greenland’s exclusive economic zone, the Sirius Patrol intervened, guiding the expedition to Denmark’s Station Nord military base, located hundreds of kilometers inland.
“The expedition members were informed explicitly that they were unwanted and lacked authorization to enter Greenland,” stated Bay.
The four monster trucks remain indefinitely parked at Station Nord. Although not confiscated by Greenlandic authorities, their retrieval poses significant logistical challenges.
Sirius Patrol receives reinforcement
The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in Greenland’s border security and prompted the expansion of the Sirius Patrol. The patrol will now include specialized soldiers from Denmark’s elite Frogman Corps (Frømandskorpset) and Jaeger Corps (Jægerkorpset), equipped with snowmobiles and capable of rapid air deployment.
“From a police perspective, the more personnel trained to operate in Arctic conditions with both dog sleds and snowmobiles, the better prepared we are,” Chief Bay emphasized.
Preventing future risks
Authorities justified stopping the Russian expedition not only due to border violations but also due to the high risk posed to potential rescue operations in one of the world’s most remote regions. A rescue mission for such a large and ill-prepared expedition would exhaust Greenland’s emergency resources, endangering rescue personnel.
The stranded expedition was forced to charter a private flight to leave Station Nord. Some members with valid documents continued their journey within Greenland, while others were required to exit immediately.
Future expeditions uncertain
The Transglobal Car Expedition expressed hopes of obtaining future permission to cross Greenland legally. However, Greenlandic authorities have stressed that appropriate permits and detailed risk assessments must accompany any future attempts.
This incident underscores the increasing strategic importance of Greenland’s remote territories and the necessity for effective border control and rapid response capabilities in the Arctic region.
