Sweden, Finland urge citizens to prepare for crisis 

Sweden on Monday began distributing five million pamphlets to households nationwide, advising citizens on how to prepare for emergencies, including the possibility of war.

The pamphlet, titled “If Crisis or War Comes,” is an updated version of a booklet Sweden has issued five times since World War II, with the last distribution in 2018 marking a notable revival since the Cold War.

This 32-page document, produced by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, addresses the current security situation and guides responding to various threats, including military conflict, natural disasters, cyberattacks, and terrorism.

The booklet includes recommendations for emergency preparedness, such as keeping non-perishable food in stock and maintaining a supply of water.

The agency highlighted an increased emphasis on preparation for potential military conflict in this latest edition, distributed in both Swedish and English, with digital versions available in multiple languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, and Somali.

“The security situation is serious, and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and ultimately war,” said MSB director Mikael Frisell.

Former army chief Micael Byden echoed this call in January, urging Swedes to mentally prepare for possible conflicts.

“Swedes have to mentally prepare for war,” he said.

Across the border, Finland has also stepped up its crisis preparedness efforts.

The Finnish government launched a new website on Monday, designed to centralise information on handling different types of emergencies.

This move came as Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, looks to bolster public readiness in light of regional tensions.

Both Sweden and Finland abandoned their decades-long military non-alignment to join NATO in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.