Sweden looks for additional cemetery space for possible conflict dead
(MENAFN) Sweden's funeral associations are planning to acquire land for burial sites in preparation for potential war casualties, the Associated Press reported. Following Sweden’s decision to join NATO earlier this year amid the escalating Ukraine conflict, the country is bracing for significant loss of life in the event of war.
The Gothenburg Burial Association, Sweden’s second-largest city, is looking for additional land to accommodate up to 30,000 new graves, on top of regular burial space. Swedish authorities have warned that the country could face up to half a million fatalities in a worst-case scenario, should a full-scale war occur.
Katarina Evenseth, a senior advisor at the Gothenburg Burial Association, noted that land availability in large cities is already limited, and even under peaceful conditions, burial ground shortages can occur. This effort is part of broader civil preparedness measures after Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) released updated survival guides in October, outlining strategies for war and crisis situations, including evacuation plans and medical emergency tips.
In March, Sweden formally joined NATO, a decision driven by heightened tensions surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. Since then, NATO's involvement in Ukraine has intensified, with military support, including missile strikes, being authorized by the US. Critics, however, argue that Sweden's NATO membership makes the country a potential target for Russia.
Sweden’s Defense Minister, Pal Jonson, has acknowledged the risk posed by Russia, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed these concerns, reiterating that Russia seeks to end the conflict and dismissing the notion that Sweden is directly threatened.
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