Sweden, Finland warn people about ‘danger of war’

Sweden on November 18 began providing people with 32-page handbooks titled “If a crisis or war breaks out”, containing information on how to prepare to deal with war or disaster. natural disasters, cyber attacks and terrorism.

The handbook is an updated version of a document that Sweden has issued five times since World War II and will be sent to 5.2 million households over the next two weeks. The new version does not mention any specific countries that Sweden believes are at risk of war with it.

“The level of military threat is increasing. We must prepare for the worst-case scenario of an armed attack on Sweden,” the document said, instructing people to stockpile food to save money. for a long time, drink water, always carry cash and grow vegetables and fruits in the garden.

Sweden began publishing war scenario response manuals to its citizens in 1961. The last time the document was released was in 2018. The 2024 edition focuses more on preparing for war compared to 6 years ago.

The notebook is printed in both Swedish and English, while the digital version is available in additional languages, including Arabic, Persian, Ukrainian, Polish, Somali and Finnish.

After the end of the Cold War, Sweden sharply cut defense spending, instead focusing its military efforts on international peacekeeping missions. However, the situation reversed after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014.

Since then, Stockholm has reintroduced conscription, sharply increased defense spending and redeployed its garrison on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. The government also reinforced bomb shelters, increased drinking water supplies and transportation infrastructure, appointed a civil defense minister and established an anti-disinformation agency.

Since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, Sweden has repeatedly called on people to prepare both mentally and logistically for the possibility of armed conflict.

Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin caused a stir in January when he warned “there could be war in Sweden”. A few days later, the then Swedish Army Commander Micael Byden also made many people worried by saying “the Swedes must prepare mentally for war”.

Also on November 18, the Finnish government launched a website instructing people on how to prepare for various crises.

Finland shares a 1,340 km border with Russia. After the war in Ukraine broke out, Finland announced plans to build a border fence with Russia three meters high, 200 km long, surrounded by barbed wire and expected to be completed in 2026.

Sweden has not participated in any war for more than two centuries. However, the country and Finland abandoned their decades-long policy of neutrality to become NATO members this year.