Sweden increases defense spending

Sweden introduced a defense bill that would increase the country’s military spending next year to 2.4% of GDP or more. Their growth is dictated by the threat from Russia. This was announced on Tuesday, October 15, by the Minister of Defense of the Kingdom Paul Johnson in an interview with Politico.

“The risk of attack cannot be ruled out. Russia is the main threat to Sweden, and it poses a threat to the entire NATO Alliance,” he said.

Yonson noted that the Russian Federation is currently unable to attack because it is focused on the Ukrainian battlefield, however, the official said, “the Kremlin could take a risk.”

According to him, the kingdom has planned an additional military expenditure of 15 billion euros, and another 3.146 billion euros will be spent on civil defense until 2030.

“Accordingly, by 2028, Sweden’s defense budget will be 2.6% of GDP, exceeding the NATO target of at least 2%,” Johnson emphasized.

The minister said the money will be spent on strengthening the country’s energy and transportation networks, modernizing health care and financial systems.

“Civil and military defense are two sides of the same coin,” Jonson said.

In addition, Sweden will buy new armored vehicles, coastal missile systems, rocket artillery, reconnaissance aircraft, utility helicopters and fighter aircraft. It also plans to modernize five Visby-class corvettes, and the Navy will also acquire three Lulea-class warships.

In addition, it is planned to increase the number of conscripts by up to 10,000 by 2030, and the total strength of the country’s army should increase by about 27,000 men and women – up to 115,000 people.

The Bundeswehr needs 35,000 new soldiers to meet NATO’s defense requirements.

More than five thousand Ukrainians who applied at the recruiting centers have already become candidates for the ranks of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Most of the requests are for the positions of drivers, staff workers and operators of unmanned vehicles.