Published January 10, 2024
Sweden‘s civil defence minister has warned his country could soon face the prospect of war and urged citizens to join voluntary defence organisations in preparation for a potential armed conflict.
In a rousing speech that took note of his country’s hotly-anticipated accession to NATO this year and ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, Carl-Oskar Bohlin called on ordinary citizens to ask themselves ‘who are you if war comes?’.
Speaking at Sweden’s annual ‘Folk och Försvar’ (Society and Defence) conference in Sälen this past weekend, the minister said: ‘It is human to want to view life as you wish it was, rather than as it actually is.
‘For a nation for whom peace has been a pleasant companion for almost 210 years, the idea that it is an immovable constant is conveniently close at hand. But taking comfort in this conclusion has become more dangerous than it has been for a very long time.
‘There could be war in Sweden… The world is facing a security outlook with greater risks than at any time since the end of the Second World War.
‘Are you a private individual? Have you considered whether you have time to join a voluntary defence organisation? If not: get moving!’ he declared.
Soldiers of the P18 Gotland Regiment of the Swedish Army camouflage their armoured vehicles during a field exercise near Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland on May 17, 2022
Swedish Army armoured vehicles and tanks participate in a military exercise called ‘Cold Response 2022’, gathering around 30,000 troops from NATO member countries as well as Finland and Sweden, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
US and Swedish troops evacuate a wounded comrade as they take part of a war simulation
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.dailymail.co.uk
RELATED: New warnings of war between Russia and Nato
New warnings of war between Russia and Nato
STORA SKOGSSKAR, SWEDEN – SEPTEMBER 13: The Swedish Amphibious Regiment practices with Laser illuminators on September 13, 2022 in Stora Skogsskar, Sweden. As part of Archipelago Endeavour military drill, the Swedish army and US marines join in this training for the fourth time. (Photo by Jonas Gratzer/Getty Images)
Published January 9, 2024
Sweden’s civil defence minister and the commander of its armed forces issued a joint warning to all Swedes at the weekend to be ready for war.
So what? Two years ago, the idea Putin might cross the bright red line drawn across Europe by Nato would have been implausible even though he’d already invaded Georgia and annexed Crimea. Not any more.
- Nato’s border with Russia has been extended by 1,340 km by Finland’s membership of the alliance.
- Sweden is expected to join by July, overcoming Turkish objections and completing the most dramatic Nato expansion since the Cold War.
- Biden and Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary-general, have joined Swedish officials in suggesting Putin could break the 75 year-old taboo against attacking Nato.
Sit rep. Putin has dismissed such talk as nonsense, much as his diplomats dismissed the idea he would invade Ukraine in February 2022. Two years on he’s warning of “problems” with Finland, rearming at home and regrouping in the Donbas as the world is distracted by a newer war in Gaza. Any outcome that left Ukraine shrunken would embolden him and be spun by the Kremlin as a win.
Given combined losses on both sides of up to half a million soldiers dead and wounded, excluding a further 28,500 Ukrainian civilians, an update is in order:
Land. There’s been little change to the stalemate reached after Ukraine’s counter-offensive stalled last year because of delays in military aid supply by allies. That allowed Russia to build the “Surovikin line” – three rows of echelon defence and minefields.
Ukrainian forces are now on the defensive along much of their 1000 km frontline, not helped by
- last year’s breaching of the Kakhovka dam, hindering Ukrainian operations on the left bank of the Dnipro river for several months;
- fierce Russian counter-attacks on the left bank; and
- Ukrainian shortages of demining equipment.
Air. Russia’s air force is five to six times larger than Ukraine’s. US-supplied Patriot air defence batteries are enabling Ukraine to bring down most incoming missiles. But Russia’s strength in numbers means it can still overwhelm Ukraine’s anti-drone and anti-missile defences, damaging both Ukrainian infrastructure and morale, the former CIA chief David Petraeus warns.
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.tortoisemedia.com
RELATED: Swedish minister, commander-in-chief warn of possible war in Sweden
Commenting on Bohlin’s take on Swedish broadcaster SVT on Monday, Swedish Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén said he agreed with what the minister said. [EPA-EFE/PONTUS LUNDAHL SWEDEN OUT]
Published January 9, 2024
Top security actors, including Swedish Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin and the country’s Commander-in-Chief, Micael Bydén, agree that Sweden could soon be facing a war and called for increased resilience, including among the civilian population.
As Sweden is expected to join NATO in 2024 and the broader context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Sweden’s Civil Defence Minister, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, urged his fellow citizens to prepare for war at the Folk och Försvar conference in Sälen.
Bohlin expressed concern that the modernisation of the Swedish civil defence system was not happening fast enough and urged everyone, from managers and local councillors to private citizens, to take action.
“Many have said it before me, but let me say it with the force of my office – there could be a war in Sweden.”, he said, adding that awareness needs to be translated into practical action.
He also drew parallels with Ukraine, which faced a full-scale Russian invasion with “total resilience”, according to him.
“Such an effort can only be made quickly enough if the vast majority of people are aware of the situation and understand what is at stake,” Bohlin said.
Commenting on Bohlin’s take on Swedish broadcaster SVT on Monday, Swedish Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén said he agreed with what the minister said.
“On an individual level, you have to prepare yourself mentally,” Bydén said, adding, “This is a very serious situation, and the clarity yesterday was unmistakable. It is now about moving from words and understanding to action”.
While Bydén pointed to the significant investments and efforts made in recent years to strengthen Sweden’s security to the point where the country’s defence capability is much stronger, he also said that the sooner Sweden becomes a full member of NATO, the better.
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.euractiv.com
