Sweden yesterday held its largest comprehensive defense exercise since the 1990s, attended by King Carl Gustaf, Crown Prince Victoria, Prime Minister, cabinet members, and members of parliament.
Prime Minister Olof Kristersson announced at the opening ceremony of the exercise that “we are strengthening the defense capabilities and resilience of the entire society. Our message is clear: Sweden is ready to defend itself and its values.”
He added that the official statement of the exercise has been published in various languages, including Russian.
The large-scale exercise, which took place in several parts of the country, including the Baltic Sea region, was held in direct response to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the increase in hybrid threats (cyber, infrastructure disruption, and infiltration operations) in the Baltic region.
Sweden, which officially joined NATO in March 2024, has described the exercise as a sign of a shift in its defense doctrine from “military neutrality” to “active collective defense.”
