If Crisis or War Comes: Sweden updates its Cold War-era warning booklet to include nuclear threats

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Louise Thomas

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Sweden will issue an updated version of its Cold War-era civil emergency advice booklet, updated to reflect conflict with Russia.

The Scandinavian country said it will issue another update later this month, with the new version “adapted to better reflect today’s security policy reality” such as what to do in case of nuclear attacks.

The booklet, “If Crisis or War Comes,” includes lessons learned from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said on Tuesday.

“It is no secret that the security situation has deteriorated since the previous brochure was issued in 2018,” Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin told a press conference.

He said that the military threat against Sweden has increased and an armed attack cannot be excluded. "The threat picture is more complex than earlier and includes cyberattacks, influence attacks and risk of sabotage,” Bohlin said.

The updated version should be mailed between Nov. 18 and Nov. 29 and more than 5 million copies will be send out “to strengthen household preparations for crises and war.” The booklet also is available digitally.

Besides giving practical advice on cyber- and terror attacks, pandemic and environmental threats, along with conventional warfare, the 31-page booklet also carries items on self-defense, psychological defense, digital security and protection against air raids. It was “designed to give households the knowledge they need to be able to act quickly in a crisis situation,” Bohlin said.

Among the new entries was one on how to stop a bleeding wound.

The booklet briefly said that “in the event of an attack with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, take cover in the same way as with an airstrike. Shelters provide the best protection. After a couple days, the radiation has decreased sharply.”

The booklet referred to the fact that Sweden in March formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment.

The first edition of the “If War Comes” booklet was published during World War II.

The news comes as the head of MI5 warned that British intelligence is facing a “hell of a job” over rising threats from Iran and Russia, as well as the resurgence of Isis and Al-Qaeda.