The two Nordic nations joined NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With tensions rising, they are preparing their citizens in the event the threat spreads.

Sweden and Finland have updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war, as NATO allies bolster defense measures against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict.

Sweden on Monday began sending millions of pamphlets advising residents how to prepare for possible war and Finland launched a new website, as Ukraine fights the grinding three-year Russian invasion.

Sweden and Finland have issued updated survival guidance for citizens to enhance preparedness for war, natural disasters, and other crises. Sweden is distributing over five million copies of a booklet titled "If Crisis or War Comes,

Sweden has a long history of producing war-time manuals for its citizens. "If War Comes" was produced in World War Two and updated during the Cold War. One passage has been elevated in the new booklet: "If Sweden is attacked by another country, we will never give up. All information to the effect that resistance is to cease is false."

Historical Context: Originally designed during World War II, the guide was frequently updated during the Cold War. Its revival underscores Sweden’s shift from decades of neutrality to a more defensive stance, solidified by joining NATO in 2023.

Sweden and Finland, which recently gave up neutrality and joined NATO following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sent out updated civil preparedness guides on Monday with instructions how to survive in war.

Putin launched his “special operation” in Ukraine and both countries joined NATO. Finland and Sweden are now preparing their populations for the possibility of war. This week, Sweden sent out 5 million booklets entitled “Om krisen eller kriget kommer” (“In case of crisis or war”) to its inhabitants.

Finland, which shares a border with Russia, also has a digital brochure advising citizens how to survive in war. The e-document insists the state is "well prepared for self defenc