Danish defence dismissals over Russian family ties called ‘alarming’ and ‘paranoid’
The dismissal of three Danish defence employees due to their Russian family connections has drawn sharp criticism, with a military expert calling the move an “overreaction” and an expression of “unhealthy Russophobia,” Danish broadcaster DR reports.
Frederik Hansen, a captain with 43 years of service in the Danish Defence—including multiple deployments to Afghanistan and commendations for his work—was fired in October 2023 after the Defence Intelligence Service (FE) revoked his security clearance. The decision was based solely on the fact that his wife has relatives in Russia, a connection that had not previously been an issue during his four decades of continuous clearance since 1982.
Peter Ernstved Rasmussen, a former soldier and founder of the defence media outlet Olfi, condemned the dismissal as “shocking” and “hysterical.” “I’m almost angry on his behalf,” Rasmussen told DR. “It shows a workplace that doesn’t respect its employees.” He argued that while security measures are necessary, firing loyal staff over marital ties to Russia “damages the Defence’s credibility” and reflects a climate of fear rather than reasoned policy.
Two other defence employees with Russian family links were similarly dismissed on the same grounds. Rasmussen described the pattern as “unhealthy Russophobia,” comparing it to Cold War-era suspicions where individuals were penalised simply for their national origins. “It’s a form of shaming people just because they were born in a country we now see as a potential enemy,” he said.
Historian and intelligence researcher Thomas Wegener Friis, head of the Centre for Cold War Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, also called the dismissals “alarming,” noting parallels to Cold War-era paranoia. While acknowledging that individuals with foreign ties can pose theoretical risks, he stressed that empirical evidence shows such cases are typically exploited only by “incompetent, lazy, or desperate” intelligence operatives. “The fear of blackmail is often greatest in our own minds,” he said.
Hansen has filed a complaint against the Ministry of Defence for violating his human rights, arguing he was not given a fair hearing. His lawyer, Mads Pramming—who represents all three dismissed employees—has submitted a compensation claim of approximately 1.2 million kroner (roughly €160,000), equivalent to one year’s salary for each of the three former staff members.
DR reported that neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Defence Intelligence Service responded to requests for comment. In a statement to TV 2, FE declined to discuss individual cases but said security clearances consider “a wide range of factors.”