Sweden Launches First Major War Preparedness Drills Since 1961

Sweden is resuming large-scale civil defense exercises as part of its preparations for war. The last major mass evacuation drill occurred in 1961 in Stockholm, with more than 30,000 people taking part. Since that time, no similar exercises have been held, but this is now changing, according to Sveriges Radio. The island of Gotland will be the first location to carry out such preparations, conducting a drill in the autumn involving up to 300 civilian volunteers, referred to in Swedish as 'statister'. These participants will take part in simulated emergency scenarios designed to test response capabilities under wartime conditions. In addition to the Gotland exercise, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, known by its Swedish acronym MSB (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap), is organizing a larger-scale drill in northern Sweden scheduled for next year. Both exercises are explicitly intended as preparations for war. The MSB is the national agency responsible for supporting society in preventing and managing serious emergencies, including coordination during crises. The return to large-scale civil defense drills marks a significant shift after more than six decades without such public readiness activities. These upcoming exercises aim to evaluate and improve civilian response mechanisms in the event of armed conflict, reflecting updated national security planning.