November 18th 2024.
In October, Sweden's Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, made an important announcement about a new war survival brochure. This brochure was created by Sweden and Finland to prepare millions of citizens for potential war and crisis situations. It was released today and provides updated guidance on what to do in the event of a conflict.
This release comes shortly after the United States allowed Ukraine to use their long-range weapons to strike inside Russia. This decision was met with criticism from Russian politicians and even Donald Trump Jr, who expressed concerns that the Military Industrial Complex was eager to start World War 3.
The new guides from Sweden and Finland recommend stocking up on non-perishable food in case people are unable to leave their homes. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency will be mailing out an updated version of the "In case of crisis or war" brochure to five million households in the country starting today. This comprehensive 32-page guide covers a variety of areas including shelter, home preparedness, psychological defence, digital security, terror attacks, disease outbreaks, and extreme weather. It is double the size of the previous pamphlet released six years ago.
The Swedish government has taken this step due to the worsening state of the world in recent years, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a major concern. Additionally, Sweden's recent decision to join NATO has also changed the perceived threat landscape as they are now a member of a military alliance that is not favored by Russia. In Finland, the government has also released updated advice online titled "Preparing for incidents and crises". This is especially important for Finland, as they share an 833-mile border with Russia and joined NATO last year.
The new brochure from Sweden makes it clear that they will never surrender if attacked. It also outlines important information and tips for surviving a crisis or war. While some people may already be familiar with this information, it may be new to those who rely heavily on digital services. The English version of the brochure includes details on storing emergency drinking water, heating your home in the event of a power outage, and building an emergency food supply. It also recommends having enough cash on hand for at least one week in various denominations. The Finnish guidance suggests having enough cash for a few days' worth of supplies and also suggests activities like playing games, reading books, or doing crafts to pass the time during a crisis.
The Finnish brochure also provides instructions on how to keep warm at home during the winter, as temperatures can reach below -30C in northern Finland. It also mentions the existence of civilian shelters in both Sweden and Finland. Metro, a news outlet, previously visited one of Finland's bomb shelters in Helsinki, which can hold up to 6,000 people and includes amenities like sports courts and a food court. Daniel Backström, a volunteer lead with the Finnish Civil Defence, has emphasized the importance of preparation in their culture, as they have a long history of conflict with Russia.
Despite being neighbors and sharing a long history, Finland and Sweden have had very different experiences with Russia and their own geopolitical issues. While neither country was a part of the Soviet Union, Finland successfully fought against their enormous military power in various wars between 1939 and 1945. On the other hand, Sweden remained neutral during World War II but made concessions to Nazi Germany, such as allowing their soldiers to pass through their territory on their way to the Finnish-Russian border from occupied Norway.
Finland's alliance with the Nazis during World War II was a dark time in their history, as Germany launched operations against the USSR from their country's northern region of Lapland. This recent experience with war has led Finland to maintain a high level of preparedness, including mandatory conscription for men. In contrast, Sweden had a professional military model similar to the UK's until seven years ago when they brought back military draft for both men and women. Norway and Denmark have also recently released new war brochures.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
