Sweden to strengthen its military, increasing spending by 40%
Swedish armed forces patrolling a village in Gotland. Credit: Bezhav Mahmoud/AFP/Getty
Stockholm. Sweden is strengthening its defense, increasing the military spending by about 40% in the next five years. The Swedish government has deemed it necessary due to its increasing tensions with Russia.
The Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist said the move came because the region’s security situation “has deteriorated over time” as “a consequence of Russia’s actions” and that “an armed attack on Sweden can’t be ruled out.”
The Swedish government’s plan to double the number of military personnel between 2021-2025 and upping the military spending by a whopping 40% makes it the largest increase in defence capability in the past 70 years.
Russia’s activities in the Baltic Sea region have been a growing concern for Sweden. Recently, two Russian warships entered the Swedish territorial waters without permission, and Sweden has complained that Russian military planes have been violating the Swedish airspace.
Sweden had decreased its military spending after the cold war. The defence expenditures of Sweden is currently 1.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Dubious activities from the Russians, however, have forced Sweden to reconsider its strategy and opt for rearmament, including purchase of Patriot missiles from the US.
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