A NATO member is preparing bunkers

Sweden, NATO's newest member, ended a long-standing policy of non-alignment after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago and rapidly increased its military spending.

Also, along with its Nordic neighbors, Sweden has emphasized civil defense, that is, efforts to protect civilians and vital infrastructure during a possible war or disaster.

In November 2024, Sweden updated its official guidance to the public in a pamphlet titled "In Case of Crisis or War", stating that the increased global threat level increases the risk that nuclear weapons could be used.

"Shelters provide the best protection against nuclear, chemical or biological weapons," the Swedish pamphlet also says.

Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency, known as MSB for short, said on Monday it had started work on 25 of the country's 80 "special shelters" as part of a major project expected to last up to three years. These large shelters can accommodate a thousand people each.

Sweden has approximately 64,000 shelters scattered across the country, which should, according to the MSB, provide basic protection.

These shelters are concentrated in cities and other densely populated areas and can accommodate a total of seven million people.

Sweden has a little more than 10.5 million inhabitants.

"It was never the goal to build shelters for the entire population. Your location determines your need for shelter," the MSB said.

The government told the MSB in early 2025 that it would help prepare a citizen group to manage the special shelters, and this year alone, Stockholm has invested just over $10 million in shelter inspections and renovations.

Most of the already inspected shelters only need "minor" work, according to the country's media.

According to the plan, during 2025, several thousand more shelters will be inspected, in which the filters that are already installed will be immediately changed, in order to have better protection against chemical and radiological weapons.

The shelters protect against shock waves and bombs, as well as nuclear explosions and heat waves, according to the country's official guidelines. They offer "better protection" against radioactive fallout and chemical or biological weapons.

Swedish authorities have also said that the shelters can be used for other purposes in peacetime, but must be ready for use within 48 hours if needed.

Both Norway and Finland took similar steps in preparing the population for a possible outbreak of war. According to some data, Norway has about 20,000 shelters, which can accommodate 2.5 million people.

Finland, which has the longest border with Russia, also has more than 50,000 shelters with space for 4.8 million people.