Like many nations, Scandinavian countries fear that the conflict in Ukraine will spread to their territory. Sweden, for example, began sending out five million pamphlets to its residents, asking them to prepare for possible conflict. Finland, for its part, is also conducting a large-scale military exercise.
In the forests of Lapland, NATO’s largest artillery exercise is underway. Objective: break through enemy borders and retake territories.
Finland is on the front line, and for good reason: it shares 1,340 km of border with Russia. It must be said that the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shook up the situation in the Nordic countries. Finland, followed by Sweden, joined NATO in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The forces of the Military Alliance are thus strengthening their cooperation and defense.
Alain De Neve, researcher at the Royal Higher Institute of Defense, explains: “Provocations at the border level are commonplace. Russia and the NATO countries are not, I would say, in an escalation phase at the moment. We measure ourselves militarily and politically“.
On the Swedish side, the government is preparing the population for a possible armed conflict which could, initially, take the form of air attacks. Five million brochures, including the location of the country’s 65,000 atomic shelters, were sent to residents. “We want citizens to realize that there is concern in the world. When they read this brochure, they will find helpful tips for staying safe“, specifies Mikael Frissel, director of the Swedish defense administration.
The aim is to mentally prepare the 10 million Swedes for any eventuality.
Russia-Ukraine conflict NATO Scandinavian countries
