Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Swedish authorities warn of nuclear armageddon

The new cold war

Published 21 November 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Minister for Civil Defence, holds up the doomsday pamphlet.
5 minute read

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has issued a stark warning, urging citizens to prepare for potential terror attacks, deadly pandemics, airstrikes – and even nuclear war.

Despite the apocalyptic tone, which suggests that full-scale world war may be imminent, Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin insists that the purpose of the information is actually to “create calm”.

MSB, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, has released a new version of its emergency preparedness brochure, If Crisis or War Comes, which is now being sent out to all Swedish households. The document is marked by a sense of impending doom and a bleak outlook on the near future.

Notably, the new brochure is significantly thicker than the previous one from 2018 (31 pages compared to 20). MSB claims this is because “the global situation has deteriorated significantly since the earlier brochure was distributed”.

“War is ongoing in our surroundings, extreme weather is becoming more common. Terror threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation are being used to harm and influence us. Sweden has also joined NATO”, it states, adding that everyone must therefore “stand together and take responsibility for our country”.

The agency also warns that cyberattacks, influence campaigns, terrorism, and sabotage “can occur at any time, and much is already happening here and now”, declaring to the Swedish people that they cannot take “their freedom for granted” and must show “the will and courage to defend our open society – even if it involves sacrifices”.

The tone of the new MSB brochure is very alarmist. Photo: MSB

Everyone must “mobilize”

It also highlights Sweden’s NATO membership as an essential part of the country’s resilience against alleged external threats, asserting that “the purpose of the alliance is for member states to be so strong together that it deters others from attacking us”.

Swedes are told that war or an acute threat of war could be expected very soon and that the whole society must then “mobilize to face an aggressor and to ensure that the most essential aspects of society function”.

“Total defense duty applies to all Swedish citizens, both those living in Sweden and abroad… In the event of heightened preparedness, you are required to report to the location specified in your wartime placement order”, it emphasizes.

MSB further urges Swedes to learn how the various warning systems and alarms function, including how to differentiate between an air raid alarm and a preparedness alarm.

“Go immediately to the nearest bomb shelter, basement, or other protected area. You are better protected indoors than outdoors, especially in a room without windows”, it advises.

Nuclear and biological weapons

The agency also claims there is a risk that Sweden could be attacked with nuclear weapons and advises Swedes that “in the event of an attack with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons”, they should “seek shelter in the same way as during an air raid” – preferably in a bomb shelter.

“After a few days, radiation levels will have decreased significantly”, it reassures.

“Bomb shelters protect against shockwaves and shrapnel from bombs. They also protect against shockwaves and heatwaves from nuclear weapons. Bomb shelters provide better protection than other places against radioactive fallout, gases from chemical weapons, and biological agents”, it further emphasizes.

Those without access to a bomb shelter are instead advised to seek out basements, garages, and underground subway stations – or to hide in tunnels or behind walls. If unable to reach such a location, people are instructed to crouch “in a trench or ditch” and remain there until authorities declare the danger is over.

In Ulf Kristersson’s Sweden, nuclear war is portrayed as imminent. Montage. Photo: Frankie Fouganthin/CC BY-SA 4.0, Vadimrysev/iStock

Share only “reliable sources”

According to MSB, Sweden is not only at risk of nuclear war but also faces an urgent threat from propaganda and disinformation.

“Foreign powers and other actors outside Sweden use disinformation, deception, and propaganda to influence us. Attempts to influence occur daily, primarily online and on social media. The goal is to create distrust and undermine our will to defend ourselves”, it states.

Psychological warfare is said to occur through the spreading of stories that are “false or partially true but taken out of context” or through fake video clips, voice recordings, and images. Hostile actors are also claimed to wage war against Sweden by “stirring emotions around an issue or event to make us anxious or suspicious of one another”.

This type of attack on Sweden is best countered by citizens remaining vigilant and sharing information only from what is described as “reliable sources”. The brochure does not explicitly specify which sources it considers reliable, apart from urging people to seek “verified information from authorities”.

“Extreme weather” threatens Sweden

Cyberattacks and terrorist attacks are highlighted, with the brochure declaring that “terror attacks and armed violence can target people or critical infrastructure such as electricity supply and transportation” – and here, too, citizens are urged to be ready to flee and seek shelter if they witness an attack.

“Extreme weather” is also said to threaten the Swedish population, with MSB claiming that “extreme weather such as torrential rain, flooding, and heatwaves is becoming more common” and that “the risk of natural disasters such as landslides and forest fires is increasing”.

Allegedly deadly pandemics are also said to threaten Sweden. Photo: PIKSEL/iStock

“If a contagious disease begins to spread, authorities will issue advice on how to protect yourself and others… Help reduce the spread by following the authorities’ recommendations”, it states.

Attracts international attention

The brochure also contains more everyday tips on home preparedness and emergency planning, such as how to stop bleeding and how to prepare for extended power outages. However, it is the apocalyptic tone that has drawn strong reactions.

Swedish authorities urging their population to prepare for potential nuclear attacks has also attracted international attention, with Britain’s The Times writing that Sweden appears to be preparing for a “global apocalypse”, while France’s Le Parisien merely notes that Swedes are being urged to prepare for war.

Germany’s Focus claims that the entire brochure is imbued with a “doomsday atmosphere”, and several other media outlets have expressed surprise over its contents and wording.

Save the Children, in turn, warns that the alarmist tone risks causing fear among children, while others point out the difficulty of focusing on daily life while being instructed to prepare for nuclear attacks.

Carl-Oskar Bohlin and MSB’s Charlotte Petri Gornitzka present the brochure. Photo: Government Offices of Sweden/Niklas Forsström

“Already happening here and now”

Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M), Minister for Civil Defense, states that the purpose of the brochure is to “inform” and “create calm” and maintains that the threat of war against Sweden is not immediately imminent.

On the other hand, Bohlin adds, influence campaigns, terrorism, and sabotage “can occur at any time”, and much of it is said to be “already happening here and now”.

The minister further states that Swedes should not “run into the woods and cut themselves off from the rest of society”, but instead focus on being prepared, taking responsibility, and showing solidarity with the rest of the community.

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Slovakia urges West to engage in dialogue with Russia

The new cold war

Published 2 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Juraj Blanar believes that Western leaders must use diplomacy and dialogue to end the war.
2 minute read

Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar believes that the war in Ukraine cannot be decided on the battlefield. Instead, he urges the Western world to seek a peaceful solution through direct dialogue with Russia – and warns that continued tensions could lead to a catastrophic large-scale war between NATO and Moscow.

– We do not want a war between Russia and NATO to break out, because that would be the Third World War. We want the conflict to be settled peacefully, Blanar said during a discussion program on Slovak public broadcaster STVR last Sunday.

Blanar emphasized the importance of diplomacy and called for a return to “respect for international law”. He also suggested that the Western world should seek ways to renew contact with Moscow – “and perhaps even forgive everything that has happened”.

Slovakia, like Hungary, has consistently pushed for de-escalation of the conflict and opposed additional EU sanctions against Russia.

The country’s president Peter Pellegrini has also urged EU member states to resume direct talks with Moscow and has simultaneously rejected demands for rapid military buildup within NATO, arguing that defense spending should reflect each country’s own priorities – rather than concerns about Russia.

Russia demands Ukrainian neutrality

Russian officials have condemned the US-led bloc’s decision last week that member countries should raise their defense budgets to 5 percent of GDP – a measure that NATO says will deter the “long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security”.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that it has no intentions of attacking any NATO country and has called the accusations “nonsense” – a scare tactic that, according to Moscow, is used by the West to legitimize increased defense spending.

Moscow states that it seeks a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that a lasting agreement must include recognition of the actual situation “on the ground”, as well as Ukrainian neutrality.

According to Putin, contacts between Moscow and Kyiv are being maintained regarding a possible third round of peace negotiations. Previous talks have been held in Turkey, where the parties have exchanged draft peace proposals and carried out several prisoner exchanges.

Peace activist urges NATO–Russia cooperation over toxic munitions on Baltic Sea floor

The new cold war

Published 1 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Approximately 40 tons of hazardous chemical warfare agents lie scattered on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, according to experts.
2 minute read

An estimated 1.6 million tons of World War II ammunition still lies at the bottom of the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

According to experts, this not only poses a security threat but also a growing environmental risk – and removal should be done through international cooperation rather than individual initiatives.

The majority of the ammunition, primarily left behind by Nazi Germany, consists of conventional shells. However, about 40 tons contain dangerous chemical warfare agents, including mustard gas and phosgene. After decades underwater, many of the containers have begun to corrode, posing a threat to the marine ecosystem and potentially to coastal areas.

– The question was how to deal with the recovery of these poison time bombs for the biosphere of the Baltic Sea. Of course, due to the corrosion of these vessels, there is a danger for the fish and the plants, and other countries, says German publicist and peace activist Bernhard Trautvetter in an interview with RT.

He emphasizes that the responsibility cannot lie with a single country and that NATO countries in the Baltic region, as well as Russia, which has access to these waters through its exclave of Kaliningrad and the St. Petersburg area, must join forces to “pull this time bomb out of the world”.

German pilot project

Germany launched a pilot project in 2023 to salvage the ammunition, conducting work in the Bay of Lübeck, with the first phase completed in April this year. The authorities described the project as a success but acknowledged that further technical adaptations are needed in areas where ammunition concentrations are particularly high.

The initiative has simultaneously raised concerns among environmental organizations, researchers, and neighboring countries about how the recovery affects the marine environment, especially if conducted without cross-border coordination.

Russia has long expressed concern about the chemical legacy of the war and has repeatedly called for an international effort to clear the seabed of war materials. In practice, however, Russia has been kept out of the efforts made so far, largely due to the deteriorated security situation and the frosty relationship with the West following the initiation of the war in Ukraine.

Soaring weapons prices risk consuming Sweden’s NATO buildup

The new cold war

Published 30 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
It remains unclear how much weapons and equipment Sweden's multi-billion investment in defense will actually cover in the end.
3 minute read

Sweden is building up its military like never before – but it’s far from certain that the investments will have the desired effect. Weapons manufacturers’ prices for arms and ammunition have soared, and a large part of the military build-up risks being consumed by increased costs.

– Then we won’t become more dangerous to the adversary, emphasizes Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, Chief of Joint Operations at the Swedish Armed Forces.

According to the Swedish Armed Forces, the war in Ukraine has shown how quickly ammunition and weapon systems are consumed in modern conflicts, and Sweden’s own stockpiles are dimensioned for training and deterrence – not for prolonged combat.

– When it comes to ammunition, we may not have bought as much as we would need in actual combat. Instead, we’ve bought what we think we need for training and maintaining sufficient deterrence, Skoog Haslum tells TT news agency.

To meet the threat, stockpiles must be built up, and Swedish defense industry must be able to quickly scale up production if war breaks out.

Defense industry positive about closer collaboration

The development of new weapons is also accelerating. In Ukraine, for example, new weapon systems, such as marine drones, have been met with countermeasures within just four to six weeks. In Sweden, however, it can take years – sometimes decades – from order to delivery.

To shorten lead times, the Swedish Armed Forces wants to test unfinished products directly in exercises, in close collaboration with the defense industry.

– I believe we’ll become better as Armed Forces, but I also think the industry would develop faster, the Vice Admiral continues.

Defense industry representatives are positive, and Lena Gillström, CEO of Swedish defense company BAE Systems Bofors and chairperson of the Security and Defense Companies Association, sees great benefits in reducing the distance between users and developers.

– By maintaining close dialogue with those who use the systems, we can also see which problems need to be solved. I believe this will be crucial for achieving speed in the system, she says.

She is prepared to send company engineers to exercises to adjust gun turrets and artillery systems in the field – something that currently happens very rarely.

Swedish Parliament wants to borrow €27 billion

As more countries build up their military, the demand for both weapons and ammunition increases – and consequently, prices rise. Ewa Skoog Haslum sees a clear risk that the increased defense allocations won’t translate into actual combat power.

– Absolutely, it’s a risk, and then we won’t get more capability for the Armed Forces. Then we won’t become more dangerous to the adversary, instead we’ll have spent the money on more expensive items, she explains.

The defense budget for 2025 amounts to 143 billion SEK (€13 billion) – a ten percent increase compared to the previous year. This corresponds to 2.4 percent of GDP according to NATO’s calculation model. But to reach NATO’s new goals – 3.5 percent for military defense plus 1.5 percent for civil defense – an additional 70 billion SEK (€6.2 billion) per year is required.

The Swedish Parliament is prepared to borrow up to 300 billion SEK (€27 billion) to accelerate the military build-up and reach the goals by 2032. Of this amount, 50 billion SEK (€4.5 billion) is earmarked for civil defense.

Denmark signs defense pact enabling US military presence in Greenland and Faroe Islands

The new cold war

Published 12 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen looks forward to enhanced cooperation with the US.
3 minute read

The Danish Parliament has voted through an agreement granting the US access to Danish military bases – including military infrastructure in the autonomous regions of Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Critics warn of a slide in Danish sovereignty, while the government describes the agreement as a necessary step.

With a broad majority – 94 votes in favor and 11 against – the Danish parliament this week adopted a new defense agreement with the US. The agreement gives US forces the right to use several military facilities on Danish soil, including Karup, Skrydstrup, and Aalborg, as well as access to areas in the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

According to the Danish government, the agreement aims to strengthen Denmark’s cooperation with the US within the framework of NATO. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen emphasizes that the agreement does not imply a permanent troop presence, but rather logistical capabilities and operational flexibility.

The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the US military presence is seen as a way to be ready to respond quickly to crises in the Arctic and North Atlantic – areas that have become more important militarily as the security situation has changed.

The agreement has also attracted criticism from several quarters. Particularly controversial is the clause stipulating that US military personnel will be subject to US jurisdiction, even if they commit crimes against civilians in Denmark. Several opposition politicians have pointed out that this undermines the rule of law and goes against Danish legal tradition.

Shortly before the vote, the leader of the Unity List, Pelle Dragsted, said that the agreement is “harmful to the country”.

It is an agreement that means that we will have areas in Denmark that are under American jurisdiction. Where Danish authorities cannot exercise control. And where mistreatment of prisoners can occur. It is a gigantic failure towards the Danish population.

With the country’s new DCA agreement with the US, Danish soldiers can expect to see a significant increase in the American presence in Denmark. Photo: 7th Army Training Command/CC BY 2.0

Superpower logic guides decisions

Others believe that the agreement represents a step toward Denmark effectively ceding parts of its territory to a foreign power.

Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both of which have extensive self-government, have been formally informed of the agreement, but neither the Faroese Lagting nor the Greenlandic Inatsisartut have had the right to block the decision. This has led to further criticism, as many see it as Copenhagen bypassing local interests in favor of superpower logic.

In the background is also the geopolitical shift underway in the Arctic, where Russia, China, and the US are all trying to strengthen their positions. The US has previously shown interest in Greenland not least after Donald Trump’s much-publicized proposal to buy the island and considers it to be of strategic importance for surveillance and control of the North Atlantic.

The Danish government sees the agreement as a necessary adaptation to a new reality.

– The problem is not too much involvement from the US in Europe. On the contrary, the risk is that the US will withdraw and move troops away or stop donations to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said earlier this week.

At the same time, there are growing concerns that Denmark is also making itself more vulnerable both politically and militarily in the event of a future conflict between major powers.

The Folketing’s decision therefore marks not only a deepening of cooperation with the US, but also a change in Denmark’s attitude toward military alliances and sovereignty—a choice that is far from comfortable for all Danes.

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