Europe begins war preparations: Bunkers and survival guides published

In the war that has been ongoing for months between Ukraine and Russia, the Biden administration has recorded a marked sharpening in its Russia policy following the election of Trump as the new president. This stance by the US has brought with it the striking of Russia with US and British missiles. In Russia, there is no backing down. Russian leader Putin continues to issue very harsh rebuffs in response to every new move by the US and the West. While it is now considered almost certain that the conflicts will evolve from being between Russia and Ukraine into different dimensions, European states have also begun war preparations. Survival guides are being prepared in many countries, and the public is being informed on this matter. Here are all the details!

NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES ENCOURAGED TO JOIN NATO

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has significantly increased security tensions in the Baltic region and encouraged Finland and Sweden to abandon their decades-long policies of non-alignment and join NATO.

However, military capacity is not everything: citizens also need to be prepared.

The preface to the Swedish brochure says, “We live in uncertain times. Armed conflicts are currently taking place in our part of the world. Terrorism, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns are being used to weaken and influence us.”

The brochure, which is also available in English, states that “collective resilience” is essential and that if Sweden were to be attacked, everyone must do their part to defend Sweden's independence and democracy, and that everyone is part of Sweden's general emergency preparedness.

IT WAS ALSO PUBLISHED DURING WORLD WAR II

According to a report in The Guardian, Swedes have long been familiar with such public information brochures. The first of these was published during the Second World War.

The latest one offers advice on topics including warning systems, air raid shelters, digital security, and how to use the toilet when there is no water, among other issues.

It is also recommended to keep a good amount of water at home (and to check every year whether the water is still safe), to have plenty of blankets, warm clothing, and an alternative heating system, to buy a battery-powered radio, and to store plenty of energy-rich, quick-to-prepare food.

NORWAY HAS TAKEN ACTION

Norway's civil defense directorate, the DSB, has distributed a similar booklet to 2.6 million households in the country. The booklet contains phrases about “living in an increasingly turbulent world” affected by climate change, digital threats, and “in the worst case, acts of war.”

The Norwegian brochure advises people to keep at least one week's worth of non-perishable food, such as “crispbread, canned legumes and beans, canned sandwich spreads, energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate, honey, biscuits, and nuts.”

Norway also advises its residents to stock up on essential medicines, including iodine tablets in the event of a nuclear accident, and like Sweden, it suggests that people have several bank cards and also keep cash on hand at home.

“CAN YOU SURVIVE FOR 72 HOURS?”

In Finland, a comprehensive online guide titled Preparedness for Incidents and Crises offers residents information and advice on everything from water outages to forest fires, internet outages, or “long-term crises such as military conflict.”

More practically, on a separate website called 72tuntia.fi, Finland, which shares a 1,340 km border with Russia, asks its citizens, “Can you survive for 72 hours in a range of crisis situations?” and invites them to put both their skills and supplies to a series of tests.

The site includes tips on strengthening psychological resilience, improving personal cybersecurity, and sheltering indoors to increase the ability to cope with difficult conditions:

“Close doors and windows. Turn on the radio. Wait calmly for instructions.”

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BUNKERS ARE BEING BUILT

Meanwhile, Germany has focused on increasing the number of its bunkers and protective shelters following an official estimate that there are fewer than 600 public shelters in the country of 84 million people, which could only accommodate 480 thousand people.

Many Cold War bunkers were dismantled under the assumption that they would no longer be needed, but Berlin has now launched a national bunker plan under the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, including a geolocation phone app.

Experts estimate that an attack from Russia could come within the next five years.

For this reason, a search has begun for all types of structures that could be used in such a situation, including subway stations, government offices, schools, and the basements of municipal buildings.

ADDING BUNKERS TO HOMES WILL BE MANDATORY

While German households are being encouraged to adapt their own cellars, garages, or storage rooms or to dig out old bunkers, builders will also be legally obligated to add secure bunkers to new homes, as Poland is already doing.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper revealed details this month of a thousand-page army document for German businesses (which, for example, advises them to train extra truck drivers but also contains civil preparedness advice for individuals).