“All Swedes should get ready for war in Sweden,” said commander-in-chief Micael Bydén in Nyhetsmorgon on Monday morning.
– It’s simply the end of comfort as we know it, he continued.
A message that is also in line with the view of the Minister of Defence. But for a country that has lived in peace for over 200 years, this means preparing for something that cannot be imagined until it actually happens.
In Monday’s broadcast of After Five, the Minister of Defense explains the background to the statement and why it is important to be prepared for a possible war.
Most serious situation in a long time
Basically, it’s about a major war going on in Europe through Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, says Pål Jonson.
– It is the result of Sweden finding itself in the most serious security policy situation in the world since the end of the Second World War. The last few months have gone in the wrong direction, he says.
– We have to deal with the fact that Russia is willing to take great political and military risks. Russia is also showing a persistence that is significant. So this is the reality, he continues.
Michael Malm at the defense staff in Stockholm believes that the Swedes need to understand to a greater degree how close such an existence to that which prevails in, for example, Ukraine is, and what it could mean.
– Whether it’s naive or not, I think we humans would like to keep things like this unpleasantly far from us. It’s a fairly natural human reaction, says Michael Malm to TV4 Nyheterna.
“Need to be able to talk about it”
Malm understands that it can be difficult to fully absorb what is happening in Ukraine, and that something similar could also happen at home in Sweden.
– Therefore, we need to be able to talk about it, we need to be able to explain and we need to be able to inform, he says.
He also emphasizes that it is not only about participating in the defense but also about continuing to keep society going. Even when things like electricity, public transport and other things that are taken for granted are attacked and knocked out.
– We see that Russia is waging a war against the Ukrainian healthcare system, where healthcare is singled out as a specific target and also other types of critical infrastructure.
May result in fear
When asked about the risk that the tough rhetoric could result in fear among many, not least the young, the Minister of Defense replies:
– I don’t think you should feel fear, but you should be aware that the security policy situation has changed and deteriorated over time.
The best thing we can do now if we want to continue living in peace is to become full members of NATO and build a stronger total defence, says the Minister of Defence.
– Increased awareness and increased vigilance is important in this serious security policy situation.