Sweden, Finland urge residents to be ready for war

Sweden today began sending some five million pamphlets to residents urging them to prepare for the possibility of war, as neighbouring Finland launched a new preparedness website. Photo / AFP

• Sweden has begun sending pamphlets advising residents on preparing for possible war, amid Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.
• Finland launched a website on crisis preparedness and plans to build a 200km border fence with Russia.
• Both countries, now Nato members, have increased military readiness and defence spending since 2022.

Sweden has begun sending millions of pamphlets advising residents on how to prepare for possible war and Finland launched a new website, as Ukraine fights its grinding three-year conflict with Russia.

The Nordic neighbours have dropped decades of military non-alignment to join the United States-led defence alliance Nato in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“The security situation is serious and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and ultimately war,” said Mikael Frisell, the director of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) which sent out the brochures.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Stockholm has repeatedly urged Swedes to prepare both mentally and logistically for the possibility of an armed conflict.

After the end of the Cold War, the country drastically slashed its defence spending as it focused its military efforts on international peacekeeping missions.

But it reversed course following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Since then, Stockholm has reintroduced limited conscription, massively increased defence spending, and reopened a garrison on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland.

It subsequently strengthened bomb shelters, shored up drinking water supplies and transport infrastructure, appointed a Minister of Civil Defence, and established a Psychological Defence Agency aimed at combatting disinformation.

The 32-page booklet If Crisis or War Comes, which started being distributed from today NZT, contains information about how to prepare for war, natural disasters, and cyber or terror attacks.

To be sent to 5.2 million households over the next two weeks, it is an updated version of a pamphlet that Sweden has issued five times since World War II.

The new version doesn’t mention Russia, Ukraine, or other countries by name.

Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin made waves in January when he warned “there could be war in Sweden”.

Sweden’s then Army chief Micael Byden also alarmed many when he days later said “Swedes have to mentally prepare for war”.

Sweden has not gone to war in more than two centuries.

The new pamphlet says: “Military threat levels are increasing. We must be prepared for the worst-case scenario – an armed attack on Sweden.”

Tips include stocking up on non-perishable food and water, keeping cash on hand, and growing fruit and vegetables in gardens.

The previous version from 2018 was the first time the pamphlet had been sent out since 1961 at the height of the Cold War.

MSB said the updated version had a stronger focus on preparing for war than in 2018.

The brochure is available in print in both Swedish and English and digital versions are available in several other languages – including Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, Polish, Somali, and Finnish.

Meanwhile, in a separate move, the Government in Finland launched a website gathering information on preparedness for different crises.

Finland shares a 1340km border with Russia and Helsinki has maintained a higher level of preparedness.

But after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Helsinki announced plans to build a 200km border fence with Russia.

Three metres tall and topped with barbed wire, it is due to be completed by 2026.

The country last year closed its eight border crossings with Russia, following an influx of migrants which Helsinki claimed was a hybrid attack orchestrated by Moscow.