NATO Nation Looks for Additional Burial Sites for War Casualties - AP
Swedish burial associations are said to be making arrangements for casket funerals for thousands of individuals, as reported by AP. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Swedish burial services are reportedly preparing for casket funerals for thousands of people.
Funeral associations in Sweden are working to secure adequate land for the burial of thousands in the event of a war, according to the Associated Press. This initiative comes on the heels of Sweden's recent accession to NATO, following the US-led military bloc's increasing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
In Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city, the local burial association is seeking to acquire more land to accommodate casket sites for approximately 30,000 deceased individuals, in addition to what is ordinarily required for graveyards, as reported by AP on Saturday.
In recent reports, Swedish media stated that authorities are preparing for the possibility of up to half a million potential fatalities should the country find itself in a full-scale war.
“In big cities… land resources are scarce to begin with and not always sufficient to meet burial ground needs even in times of calm and peace,” said Katarina Evenseth, senior advisor at the Gothenburg Burial Association, as quoted by AP.
In October, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency released new civil preparedness guides featuring advice on surviving armed conflicts. The brochure, "In case of crisis or war," offers guidance on evacuation, how to stop bleeding, and other essential recommendations.
“The national security situation has changed drastically, and we all need to strengthen our resilience to various crises and, ultimately, war,” stated Mikael Frisell, Director General of MSB, in a recent announcement.
Following decades of military non-alignment, Stockholm joined NATO in March amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US-led bloc has been providing military support to Ukraine, and in November, Washington approved strikes that could target deep within Russian territory. Additionally, France has suggested Ukraine should be permitted to use its missiles against Russia in self-defense, while Moscow has claimed that Storm Shadows supplied by Britain have already been employed in such attacks.
Moscow has reiterated that NATO's expansion effectively makes it a direct participant in the conflict.
Critics of Sweden's NATO membership argue that the nation has become a potential target in the event of a war. “The Swedish people are facing a brutal reality where they are expected to adapt to a rhetoric of war that is not only foreign, but also deeply frightening… Instead of prioritizing peacekeeping efforts, politicians choose to place the country in a position where it risks becoming a battlefield for the power games of major powers,” stated Swedish conservative online platform Kulturbilder earlier this month.
In October, Defense Minister Pal Jonson expressed that Russia presents a threat to Sweden, asserting that a Russian attack cannot be ruled out. This sentiment has been echoed by several other NATO members, including Poland and the Baltic states.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such claims as nonsense, reiterating last week that Moscow is “striving to end the conflict.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
Funeral associations in Sweden are working to secure adequate land for the burial of thousands in the event of a war, according to the Associated Press. This initiative comes on the heels of Sweden's recent accession to NATO, following the US-led military bloc's increasing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
In Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city, the local burial association is seeking to acquire more land to accommodate casket sites for approximately 30,000 deceased individuals, in addition to what is ordinarily required for graveyards, as reported by AP on Saturday.
In recent reports, Swedish media stated that authorities are preparing for the possibility of up to half a million potential fatalities should the country find itself in a full-scale war.
“In big cities… land resources are scarce to begin with and not always sufficient to meet burial ground needs even in times of calm and peace,” said Katarina Evenseth, senior advisor at the Gothenburg Burial Association, as quoted by AP.
In October, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency released new civil preparedness guides featuring advice on surviving armed conflicts. The brochure, "In case of crisis or war," offers guidance on evacuation, how to stop bleeding, and other essential recommendations.
“The national security situation has changed drastically, and we all need to strengthen our resilience to various crises and, ultimately, war,” stated Mikael Frisell, Director General of MSB, in a recent announcement.
Following decades of military non-alignment, Stockholm joined NATO in March amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US-led bloc has been providing military support to Ukraine, and in November, Washington approved strikes that could target deep within Russian territory. Additionally, France has suggested Ukraine should be permitted to use its missiles against Russia in self-defense, while Moscow has claimed that Storm Shadows supplied by Britain have already been employed in such attacks.
Moscow has reiterated that NATO's expansion effectively makes it a direct participant in the conflict.
Critics of Sweden's NATO membership argue that the nation has become a potential target in the event of a war. “The Swedish people are facing a brutal reality where they are expected to adapt to a rhetoric of war that is not only foreign, but also deeply frightening… Instead of prioritizing peacekeeping efforts, politicians choose to place the country in a position where it risks becoming a battlefield for the power games of major powers,” stated Swedish conservative online platform Kulturbilder earlier this month.
In October, Defense Minister Pal Jonson expressed that Russia presents a threat to Sweden, asserting that a Russian attack cannot be ruled out. This sentiment has been echoed by several other NATO members, including Poland and the Baltic states.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such claims as nonsense, reiterating last week that Moscow is “striving to end the conflict.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
