Nordic nations embrace total defense as a risk of sabotage, war rises

In 1944, Norwegian resistance fighters in the city of Kongsburg blew up a cannon -making factory to capture Nazi German forces during World War II. After more than 80 years, the municipality may once again have a target for sabotage and is preparing for war. Local authorities have dusted the bomb shelters of the Cold War-era, establish a new satellite communication system and are working with the army on plans to help in the deployment of Western forces in terms of conflict. “The lesson we have learned from Ukraine is that everyone pitchs,” said the emergency plan officer of Odd John Racer, Kongsburg, “Keeping in mind the Bruis, which Pivated to make Molotov cocktails, local authorities built schools in shelters and arms factories.” Nearby Nordic nations, governments are promoting defense spending, re -making security and carrying forward the concept of total defense. This is an approach that collects the whole society to protect against military and non-monye threats. As Moscow works war wages in Ukraine, Western officials are accusing Russia of being behind a campaign of suboteses, arson and cyber attacks and the entire continent has a shock in the entire continent whether Europe can rely on America as a partner. The Norwegian government published its first national security strategy in May, stating that the country has been facing its most serious security situation since World War Two. “After decades of peace,” warned, “A new era has begun for Norway and Europe.” Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahar Store told Associated Press, “Now what is happening in Ukraine has to have a wake-up call and we should strengthen their defense so that anything like this can happen to us.”

Total defense

Norway announced in January that it plans to start construction of bomb shelters in new buildings after stopping the practice in 1998. The Swedish government appointed its first minister for civil defense in 2022, when Russia attacked Ukraine. Residents of the age of 16 to 70 years need to serve in the danger of the event or war, either in the army or in the army or providing rescue, fire fighting, healthcare or other services. Finland’s Civil Defense Shelter is jealous of Nordix and can be about 86 percent of the finish population. A public shelter in Helsinki can fit 6,000 people, designed to face a decline from a nuclear attack and is almost in a constant position of readiness with the beds and is stuck behind the explosion doors and an underground hockey pitch. Norway and some other Nordic nations have also asked the residents to store enough food and water for seven days. “If the power supply was cut for a long period, how will you and your nearest family manage? What will you do when the water supply fails?” The Norwegian handbook asks. AP spoke to 11 people in Kongsburg and the majority stated that they had some forms of supply. While most did not have stockpile for seven days – and some had nothing – two people said they could probably live for more than a week. “Russia is very close to Norway and you don’t know what is going to happen. I will be ready instead of not getting ready, ”said Katina Buq, who worked in a sports shop in Kangsburg.

Community support for soldiers:

Although Norway officials are not expecting a adjacent struggle, Kongsburg may be important if the war comes to Northern Europe. The municipality is the headquarters of the Kongsburg Group, with a population of about 27,000 people in the southwest of the Norwegian capital Oslo, the Kongsburg Group, which creates high-collective weapons currently used in Ukraine. The company opened a new factory in 2024, increasing the production of advanced missiles used by many European countries. If there is any conflict, the city can also host the soldiers. In May, local authorities from across the region met with the army to plan support for Western soldiers with logistics and healthcare in a deployment. “If the Allies are coming to Norway, then either living, training, war work or in transit, we will have a big task for the whole community,” said Racer. By getting ready for the worst, the racer said, the municipality also prepares for others – more likely – an epidemic, extreme weather or electrical outages such as threats such as Spain and Portugal stabilizing in April.

Subotage:

Europeans need to realize the danger from Moscow elsewhere, which can reach “much deeper” than the Russian -border nations, Matthew Redhead said, a national security expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London. Norway Defense Minister Tor O Sandwick told AP that Russia’s campaign of barbarity, sabotage and arson is “increasing threat” from Russia’s campaign. “The subotage has become one of the dangers that is now on the radar to an extent we have probably not seen since the second world war”, even the Kongsburg Group Chief Security Officer Tedvet said. Removing suspicious incidents in the company, he widened how in 2024 a worker tried to destroy the engine for a fighter jet, the drone was seen in an area where it is illegal to fly and attempts to get through the perimeter of a factory. It is not always possible to identify inspiration or it is not possible to say whether events are different, or just “some children” are blowing a drone, but the number of suspicious incidents indicates that sabotage is highly possible, Tedvet said. Moscow is bringing its activities to the “East-War” level in Europe, the Redhead said, but the common people and local authorities away from Russia may be less ready for the crisis because “we don’t think we will be on the front line.” “It is potentially necessary to exclude people about this at some point.”