The Swedish Army has increased military exercises since Russia’s invasion in Ukraine (Picture: Reuters)
More than two centuries of peace in Sweden could come to an end, the country’s civil defence minister has warned in a new rousing speech.
With the country expected to join NATO by the end of this year, the country could soon be roped into armed conflict and citizens have been warned to ‘brace for war’.
‘Many have said it before me, but let me do it with the power of office. Less wrapped up, and with unvarnished clarity: There could be war in Sweden,’ civil defence minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said.
He added: ‘The world is facing a security outlook with greater risks than at any time since the end of the Second World War.
‘Are you a private individual? Have you considered whether you have time to join a voluntary defence organisation? If not: get moving!’
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson added: ‘War can also come to us.
‘These serious times require clarity of vision, capacity to act and persistence – clarity of vision to understand that Russia’s goal remains the eradication of a free Ukraine and creation of a Europe in which “might is right” with buffer states and spheres of interest.’
Civil defence minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin made the ominous warning during a speech (Picture: EPA)
Sweden is in the process of applying for NATO (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson echoed the warnings (Picture: Shutterstock)
Worries of attacks from Russia on neighbouring Baltic states have increased massively since the war in Ukraine was launched almost two years ago.
Russia even threatened both Finland and Sweden after invading Ukraine, sayingthe countries would face ‘serious military and political repercussions’ if they both joined NATO.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the two nations ‘should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries.’
Spokeswoman of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, warned Sweden and Finland in 2022 (Picture: TASS)
Finland and Russia have had increased tensions in recent years (Picture: Getty)
She added: ‘Their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences.’
Finland joined NATO in 2023, after fortifying its borders with Russia in response to increased aggression in recent years.
In July, a former NATO assistant secretary general warned the West should take decisive actions to stop Vladimir Putin’s ‘imperial’ ambitions.
Giedrimas Jeglinskas told Metro.co.uk that Lithuanians, whose country is home to one of NATO’s eastern flank battlegroups, are ‘worried’ about the ever-present threat on their doorstep – much like Sweden now is.
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