CNN was on board the HDMS Niels Juel, a Danish air defense frigate deployed to Greenland for Exercise Arctic Light. CNN Nuuk, Greenland —

In the untamed fjords of southwestern Greenland, a fleet of Danish warships patrol the icy waters of what’s become a highly contested Arctic hotspot.

For three centuries, Denmark has been the sovereign power here, a tiny European monarchy still reigning over Greenland’s 57,000 people, as well as its vast swathes of harsh and resource-rich terrain.

But Danish colonial authority – now focused mainly on foreign, defense and economic policy – is facing an unprecedented challenge, and the Scandinavian kingdom is at pains to underline and maintain its military control.

CNN was invited on board the HDMS Niels Juel, a Danish air defense frigate deploy

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