The Swedish government has just announced a plan to rebuild food and agricultural supplies warehouses nationwide - the first time since the end of the Cold War. Stockholm officials say the risk of conflict with Russia is increasing, while Moscow has denied the accusations, saying it has not threatened any NATO country or the EU.
According to the Swedish Agricultural Authority, the plan is aimed at ensuring people have enough food and necessities in serious crises, even in war. The Government has allocated about 57 million USD in the 2026 budget to implement the program.
The first food reserves will be built in northern Sweden, which has both a "military strategic importance" and a lack of self-sufficiency in grain supply. Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin stressed: There is no time for delay.
According to the plan, the reserve warehouses will be completed in the period of 2026-2028. The Agricultural Agency said the goal is to ensure 3,000 calories/person/day in case the country enters a "high alert state".
During the Cold War, Sweden maintained a large-scale food reserve system, but after 1990, this program was stopped due to high costs and a seemingly stable security environment. The restoration of current reserves is considered a step to "revive the national defensive mindset" - something that was once characteristic of Sweden during the East-West confrontation.
Not only Sweden, Finland - a neighbor that has just joined NATO with Sweden in 2023 - also announced that it will organize underground drills next month to "train response skills in war conditions".
Both Nordic countries have cited a threat from Russia following the Ukrainian conflict. However, Moscow has repeatedly criticized what it calls anti-Russia francism supported by the West, in an attempt to justify the increase in defense budget and regionally Militarized.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussation Club earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Sweden and Finland's entry into NATO a "wild act", asserting that Moscow had "never had any problems" with the two countries before.
By giving up neutral status, they have lost their advantage and weakened the region without increasing their own security, Putin said.
