Sweden and Finland have issued warnings to their residents to prepare for potential war as Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine intensifies.
On Monday, Sweden released an updated version of its “In Case of Crisis or War” pamphlet, which guides citizens on how to handle national emergencies. Last distributed in 2018, the pamphlet has now doubled in length to 32 pages, emphasizing war preparedness in response to escalating tensions in Ukraine. Mikael Frisell, director of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, stated, “The security situation is serious, and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and, ultimately, war.”
Approximately 5.2 million copies of the pamphlet will be distributed to Swedish households over the next two weeks, with translations available online. It advises citizens to maintain a stockpile of essential supplies, including food, medicine, baby products, and hygiene items.
Similarly, Finland has launched its own crisis preparation guide online, outlining governmental responses in the event of war. A recent survey revealed that only 58% of Finnish households have sufficient emergency supplies to endure a crisis. Meanwhile, earlier this year, Norway distributed 2.2 million physical pamphlets to households, detailing how to manage independently for a week during a national emergency.
The preparedness measures by Sweden and Finland come after their historic decision to join NATO, abandoning long-standing neutrality in response to fears of further Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. The Swedish pamphlet also highlights military readiness, as Russia continues to control about 20% of Ukrainian territory, with Kyiv struggling to counter Moscow’s gradual advances nearly three years into the war.