Sweden and Finland in joint defence exercise

Radio Sweden
Posted: Friday, May 16, 2014 at 11:47
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Peter Sjöstrand is leading the exercise, and Lasse Jansson is in charge of communcations, in Linköping. (Lana Brunell / Sveriges Radio)

Major military exercises are happening in Sweden, playing out all week, with the scenario of an attack from the east.

At the helicopter flotilla in Linköping Lasse Jansson says about 3,300 people are taking part. Mostly in the south of the country and on the Baltic island of Gotland.

The imaginary enemy is called simply “country X” and is attacking from the east. This year the Swedes will be working with neighbouring Finland on how to counter such a threat, and it will involve cooperation between air and sea defences.

At the air defence batallion in Småland Fredrik Zetterberg says it is no coincidence the exercise is about defending the east coast. He says the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, Sverker Göranson, has said recently that events in Ukraine show the situation in Europe can change very quickly, although there is no immediate threat to Sweden

But police are ready for trouble – or at least to take a few extra calls from alarmed people who see masked armed men running around Linköping”s military airport. These are just people playing the enemy force in this major military exercise.

The sea and air exercises will be finishing on the 20th and 22nd of may and the total cost is estimated to be SEK 16 million, reports Swedish public television and radio.