“Om krisen eller kriget kommer” or “In case of crisis or war”: this is the name of the brochure sent to the Swedes this Monday, November 18, 2024. We see a military woman on a yellow background, with a weapon. hand and in front of a warship and a fighter plane. The purpose of this brochure? Give practical advice to the population in the event of armed conflict. For its part, Finland has also launched a website dedicated to providing crisis preparedness advice.
“The military threat against Sweden has increased and we must prepare for the worst – an armed attack,” reads the Swedish brochure, created by the Swedish Civil Protection Agency (MSB), as reported by 20 Minutes While adding that there are also “means other than military force to influence and harm our country, such as cyberattacks, influence campaigns, terrorism and sabotage.”
Instructions for protecting yourself from air raids
And the instructions in the booklet are precise and numerous: they explain how to protect yourself from an air raid, strengthen your digital security, while warning of the importance of storing food and water, as well as having warm clothing in case of power outage.
“In the event of a state of high alert, you may be summoned to help in different ways” Extract from the MSB brochure.
“In the event of air raids, you should go to a shelter or other protected place. Basements, garages and metro stations also offer protection,” advises the MSB, which recalls that Sweden is now a member of the NATO. Over the next two weeks, 5.2 million brochures will be distributed to the population.
ALSO READ >> War in Ukraine: what can stop Vladimir Putin?
The Russian threat
And behind this fear of a potential attack, the Russian threat is palpable, as both countries became members of NATO this year, after decades of military non-alignment. Vladimir Putin’s desire for expansion does not seem to be stopping either, as Ukraine almost reaches its third year of war.
The Swedish and Finnish governments want to mentally prepare their populations for the possibility of an attack. The Swedish booklet has been sent a total of 5 times since the Second World War, with updated versions.
“The security situation is serious and we all need to strengthen our resilience in order to be able to face crises, and ultimately war,” said Mikael Frisell, director of MSB, as reported by Sud- West.
“In Sweden, we have never been afraid to talk about crises and wars,” recalled Swedish Minister of Civil Protection Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who regularly posts content supporting Ukraine. This is not alarming, it’s a strength.”
On the Finnish side, no brochure but a website with advice of the same content: another way of doing things, but the same desire for defense for this country which shares a 1,340 kilometer border with Russia.
