In Sweden, leaflets with instructions on what to do in case of war were distributed

From today, Swedish families will receive copies of an updated information brochure in their mailboxes with tips and recommendations for preparing in the event of a state of emergency or war. The booklet, written by the Swedish Civil Protection, has been printed in 5 million copies and is also available in other languages ​​in digital format (READ). Inside there are practical tips on which supplies to keep at home, lists and instructions for dealing with various crisis situations, but also an armed conflict. Space, then, for recommendations: how to react in the event of air raids and what to always keep in the pantry: cereals, rice, powdered puree. But also dried or canned meat and fish, chickpeas, peanut butter and the traditional blåbärssoppa, blueberry soup.

“Need to update the population based on the current context”

“It is no secret that the security situation has worsened since the publication of the last booklet in 2018,” Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said while speaking to the press. “With changed external circumstances, it is necessary to update the information provided to Swedish families to reflect the current situation. The new brochure is an important tool to clarify the role of the individual in the overall defense,” the minister added. One of the most representative sentences is this: “If Sweden is attacked we will never surrender. All information about a surrender is false.” This is a warning already present in the 2018 edition, but now more prominently among the front pages.

Similar brochures also in Norway, Finland and Denmark

This is the fifth time that Sweden has distributed a booklet of this type: the first was published during the Second World War and two other editions were distributed in the 1960s, during the Cold War. “We have learned a lot from the war in Ukraine”, underlined the director of Civil Protection Charlotte Petri Gornitzka. “We have seen that it is the civilian population that is targeted in modern warfare” he added, underlining the importance of being ready. This month a similar paper leaflet was also distributed to families in Norway and a digital leaflet can be downloaded as a PDF in Finland and Denmark. Even in Norway the previous edition dates back to six years ago: “We decided to print a new edition due to climate change and extreme weather phenomena that lead to floods and landslides” declared Tore Kamfjord, responsible for the information campaign at the Norwegian Civil Protection. “We find ourselves in an increasingly digital society, so there is a risk that the system may not work due to weather or cyber attacks. Clearly the security situation in Europe was another reason that suggested leaning towards ‘update”, added Kamfjord reached byAnsa.

Download here the PDF text of the brochure distributed in Sweden