In early 2025, a strange message began circulating on the internet. It claimed that a Danish lawmaker had asked Russia for help to stop the United States from taking control of Greenland.
Fake Message Sparks Confusion
This claim quickly spread across social media, especially on Facebook, with many users sharing the message. Danish intelligence officers, however, claim the transmission was fraudulent.
The post that caused the confusion appeared to be written by a real politician from Denmark. It suggested that, due to rising tensions with the US, Denmark was turning to Russia to protect Greenland. The message even included a sentence saying that “extreme measures” were needed and that Russia would likely agree to help because it wouldn’t want Greenland to fall under American control either.
However, Danish authorities soon investigated the post. They found that it was not real. It had been made to look like a message from a Danish lawmaker, but it was actually created by someone else. The message was a piece of fake news, or disinformation, designed to confuse people and stir up trouble.
Disinformation Campaign Traced to Russia
The Danish Defence Intelligence Service (known as FE) reported that this fake post was part of a larger plan. They discovered that the message had first been posted by someone who had previously shared content supporting Russian interests. This person is believed to be part of a group that spreads false information online to support Moscow’s political goals.
The French agency Viginum, which tracks false information online, helped the Danish team identify the person behind the post. Together, they concluded that Russia was using this fake story to try to create problems between Denmark and its allies, especially the United States. This tactic is called an “influence operation.” It’s when one country tries to change how people in another country think or act, usually through misleading or false information.
This campaign took place around the same time that the American president had made strong statements about wanting to annex Greenland. He said that the US should take control of the island to protect the world. If Denmark didn’t agree, he also threatened to punish it economically. These bold claims caused tension between the two countries and even made people question the strength of the NATO alliance.
By spreading the fake story, Russian-backed groups hoped to make the situation even worse. Their goal was to damage trust between Western countries and weaken the support for Ukraine, which continues to face military pressure from Russia.
Greenland Caught in the Middle
Greenland, a large island that belongs to Denmark, has found itself caught in the middle of this international argument. In recent months, the island has become a new target for disinformation campaigns. Experts say that Greenland is especially vulnerable to fake news because of its small media network and heavy use of social media platforms like Facebook.
A study from late 2024 showed that unknown foreign groups were already active in online forums popular among Greenlandic people. These groups were able to create realistic and convincing messages in the local language, thanks to new technology such as artificial intelligence. This made it easier for them to spread false claims without being noticed right away.
Local non-profit groups in Greenland have expressed concern. They say the island is not ready to deal with this kind of online attack. Greenland has only a few news organizations, and most of them have small teams with limited resources. Unlike bigger countries that have reporters who specialize in checking facts and investigating claims, Greenland’s newsrooms often rely on just a few people to cover everything.
Because of this, false stories like the one about Russia and Denmark can spread quickly and cause confusion. The recent disinformation campaign even appeared to target Greenland’s local elections, which took place in March 2025. Authorities believe that the goal may have been to influence the outcome by stirring up fear and distrust among voters.
The situation is still being closely watched by Danish intelligence services. They stress that the false claim about a Danish request for Russian help is entirely untrue. The fake Facebook post was never written by a Danish lawmaker and was instead part of a deliberate plan to spread confusion.
As more people become aware of this tactic, officials hope it will become easier to recognize and stop these types of fake stories. But for now, the recent case serves as a reminder that not everything we see online is true—and that even remote places like Greenland can be drawn into global power struggles through a few false words on social media.