War

The Swedes are being trained to survive the war. And not only them..

On Monday, millions of Swedes will start receiving copies of a brochure that informs the population on how to prepare and what to do in the event of war or other unexpected crises. This was reported by the BBC, Komersant ukrainskyi informs.

The brochure “If there is a crisis or war” has been updated from the six-year-old edition due to what the government in Stockholm calls the deteriorating security situation. This includes the war in Ukraine. The booklet is also twice as large.

Neighboring Finland has also just published online its own fresh advice on “preparing for incidents and crises.” And Norwegians recently received a brochure urging them to be prepared for various threats.

Swedish government prepares citizens for resistance

For the Swedes, the idea of a brochure on emergency response is not new. The first edition, “If War Comes,” was published during World War II and was updated during the Cold War.

But one message, as noted by the BBC, has been moved from the middle of the booklet and is being emphasized.

“If Sweden is attacked by another country, we will never surrender. All information that the resistance should be stopped is false,” the brochure says.

The authors have also prepared a so-called checklist of products that Swedes should have – it recommends stocking up on potatoes, cabbage, carrots and eggs, as well as cans of bolognese sauce and ready-made soups.

One of the most important recommendations is to have enough food and drinking water for up to 72 hours.

Finnish authorities claim to be “well prepared for self-defense”

Finland has also just published its own fresh advice on “preparing for incidents and crises” online. According to the BBC, in a detailed section on military conflicts, the Finnish digital brochure explains how the government and president would respond in the event of an armed attack, emphasizing that the Finnish authorities are “well prepared for self-defense.”

The Finnish checklist includes, among other things, easy-to-prepare food, pet food, a backup power source, and iodine tablets.

Finns are also asked how they will cope without electricity for several days at a time in winter temperatures down to -20C.

Norway emphasizes self-preparation

In a special brochure, Norwegians are urged to be prepared to be able to survive on their own for a week in the event of extreme weather, war, and other threats, the BBC reports.

“We have sent out 2.2 million paper copies, one for every household in Norway,” said Tore Kamphiord, responsible for the self-preparedness campaign at the Norwegian Civil Defense Directorate.

The list of items to have at home includes long-life foods such as canned beans, energy bars and pasta, as well as medicines, including iodine tablets in case of a nuclear accident.

The manuals provide guidance on what to do in case of several scenarios and ask citizens to make sure they can fend for themselves, at least initially, in the event of a crisis.

Russia’s aggression in Ukraine forces change

Due to its long border with Russia and the experience of war with the Soviet Union, Finland has always maintained a high level of defense. Sweden, on the other hand, has scaled back its infrastructure and has only begun to build it up in recent years.

“From the Finns’ point of view, it’s a bit strange… Finland has never forgotten that war is possible, while in Sweden people needed to be shaken up a bit to realize that it could really happen,” said Ilmari Kaikko, an associate professor of military studies at the Swedish Defense University, as quoted by the BBC.

In fact, until recently, Finland and Sweden were neutral states, although their infrastructure and “total defense system” dates back to the Cold War. And now this system needs to be updated, and the psychology of citizens needs to be changed. Although both Sweden and Finland can already officially count on the support of their partners – they are members of NATO.