As NATO countries in Europe prepare for a possible war with Russia, the armament dimension and ‘civil defence’ proposals go hand in hand.
There seems to be a continent-wide expectation. Germany, for example, is developing an app to help people find the nearest shelter in the event of an attack.
But when it comes to preparing for war, the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, which are supposed to be the ‘frontline’, are leading the way.
They are already stockpiling grain, testing payment systems and making sure households can store emergency rations.
Finland asks its citizens: Can you survive 72 hours?
At 9am on 18 November, Finland launched a new website to show people how to survive for 72 hours in the event of a crisis or conflict.
A comprehensive online guide called “Preparing for Incidents and Crises” offers residents information and advice on everything from water cuts to forest fires, internet outages or “long-term crises … such as military conflicts”.
A separate website, 72tuntia.fi, asks Finns ‘Can you survive 72 hours in a series of crisis situations?’ and invites citizens to put their skills and equipment to the test.
According to The Guardian, the website urges people to “strengthen psychological resilience, increase personal cyber security and protect themselves indoors” (“Close doors and windows. Turn on the radio. Wait calmly for instructions”).
Emergency supplies: Power bank, flashlight, iodine tablets
According to Bloomberg, Finland’s ’emergency kit’ includes the following Bottled water, non-perishable food, clean buckets, pet food, toilet paper, power bank, battery-powered radio, flashlight, battery, cash, fire blanket, camping stove and fuel, plastic bag, tape, matches, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, first aid kit, medicine, iodine tablets.
On the same Monday, Sweden also began mailing updated leaflets to 5.2 million households, calling for ‘increased attention to war preparedness’.
The foreword to the Swedish leaflet reads: ‘We live in uncertain times. Armed conflicts are taking place in our part of the world. Terrorism, cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns are used to weaken and influence us.
The leaflet, which is also available in English, adds that collective resistance is essential and that if Sweden is attacked, ‘everyone must do their part to defend Sweden’s independence and our democracy… you are part of Sweden’s general emergency preparedness’.
Poor and rich in separate neighbourhoods, even in war preparation
But ‘war preparedness’ is not the same in every neighbourhood. Fatuma Mohamed, a health communicator in Stockholm, told the Guardian that many families in poorer areas don’t have food for the day, let alone a stockpile, while others are trying to find out where local shelters are.
Mohamed said she would like to see more face-to-face information given to people, rather than just leaflets.
Norway’s Civil Defence Directorate, DSB, has distributed a similar booklet to 2.6 million households in the country. We live in an increasingly turbulent world” affected by climate change, digital threats and “in the worst case, acts of war”, the leaflet says.
The Norwegian leaflet, for example, advises people to stock up on at least a week’s worth of non-perishable food, such as ‘crispbread, tinned pulses and beans, tinned sandwich spreads, energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate, honey, biscuits and nuts’.
Call to stock up on essentials
The DSB is also advising its citizens to stock up on essential medicines, including iodine tablets, in case of a nuclear accident and, like Sweden, to have multiple bank cards and cash at home.
Governments, central banks and businesses in the region are taking the lead in stockpiling emergency grain and medical supplies, making the financial system more resilient and encouraging households to store canned food and iodine tablets.
There’s also a lot of coverage of this 72-hour preparedness in Finland, on TV, on social media, in newspapers; I’ve even heard that they’re teaching children about it in schools. I mean, it’s getting a lot of media coverage right now, and it’s definitely changed my mindset,’ Lotta-Sofia Saahko, a 31-year-old writer from the southern Finnish town of Valkeakoski, told Bloomberg.
Saahko, who lives with his grandfather, said they have two five-litre water canisters and have started shopping to make sure they have enough canned pea soup and crispbread.
Scandinavian countries start hoarding grain
The scenarios include not only war, but also natural disasters due to climate change, energy disruptions and international cyber-attacks.
The Swedish authorities also give advice on how to evacuate, how to stop bleeding and how to talk to children about war.
Norway is reactivating its grain reserves and increasing its storage capacity.
Norway said in June that the country was stockpiling grain in preparation for the ‘unthinkable’, while Sweden plans to rebuild its reserves with seeds and fertiliser.
Miika Ilomaki, chief preparedness expert at the National Emergency Supply Agency, said officials and researchers had travelled to Finland for know-how.
Lithuania’s largest retailer, Maxima, has a plan to keep its supermarkets open in the event of a communications blackout, while its warehouses also have a list of essential goods to stockpile.
The country is also actively seeking to receive emergency medical supplies. Last year, it received the green light from the European Commission for a warehouse as part of a plan to have 22 stockpiles in 16 EU member states.
The Polish parliament this month passed a law requiring local authorities to have enough food and water to last 72 hours. Other measures include building an evacuation system and shelters.
In Denmark, the government set up a crisis ministry this year and began advising people to stockpile food and water for 72 hours.
Financial institutions working on war-proof payment systems
But time is running out for the financial system. The central bank is pioneering a system that, from next year, will allow Danes to continue using cards to buy food and medicine for a week in the event of a power cut or internet crash.
Ulrik Nordgaard, deputy governor of the central bank, said they were working with retailers, banks and payment companies to extend the time people can make offline card transactions from three to seven days.
“Retailers and banks have agreed to share equally the costs of any fraudulent activity, and other countries have shown interest in using this as a model,” Nordgaard said.
In an interview in Copenhagen last week, Nordgaard said the idea was to “prepare for the worst-case scenario”.
EU steps up defence efforts with UK
European officials say the continent is entering a new reality. More than three decades after the end of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear attack, the European Union is returning to its roots as an organisation born out of conflict to promote peace and security, Bloomberg reports.
The EU is trying to speed up talks with the UK on a new defence and security treaty as U.S. support for Ukraine wanes with the re-election of Donald Trump and the prospect of a peace deal that could “embolden Russia”.
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said on 14 November: “We are facing geopolitical tensions that show no signs of abating and we must be ready for any eventuality. All this makes it more important than ever that our Union is prepared for this new and more uncertain future.”
