New government leaflets tell Swedes to be prepared for war

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While experts estimate it would take a week to fully mobilize the Swedish military, other scenarios predict Russia could invade Europe within only two days.

Amid concerns over Russian military exercises, the Swedish government brought back the draft and is looking into expanding its existing network of shelters, even though it already has 65,000 such structures, which would provide space for up to two-thirds of its population of 10 million. Russia has been accused of several risky military maneuvers near or inside Swedish airspace during the past few years, raising concerns over an accidental or deliberate escalation of tensions.

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Even though the leaflet doesn’t mention a specific adversary, it warns that “peace, freedom and democracy are values that we must protect and reinforce on a daily basis,” which could possibly be a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian rule over Russia and his annexed territories. Sweden fears that Russia may seek to expand its sphere of influence further into Europe.

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