Denmark announced Friday that it was allocating 1.2 billion kroner ($190 million) for an “emergency package” to boost its “total preparedness” in the case of war or a crisis.
The concept of total preparedness, sometimes called total defence, refers to defence planning that encompasses both military and civilian functions, and is widely embraced in Nordic countries.
In Finland in particular, leaders have urged the population to prepare both mentally and logistically for the possibility of war given the country’s proximity to Russia.
“Following the Nordic model, the total preparedness should create a framework for a coordinated effort by authorities, citizens, businesses, and civil society to prevent and manage major incidents, crises, disasters, and, in the worst case, war,” Denmark’s Ministry for Resilience and Preparedness said in a statement.
The government’s plan notably aims to strengthen electricity and water supply capacities, as well as the healthcare system and telecommunications.
“With war on the European continent, hybrid warfare against NATO and the West, and more extreme weather, we as a society must prepare for a wide range of possible events,” the ministry said.
“We are all part of Denmark’s total preparedness,” Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister Resilience and Preparedness, told a press conference.
In the event of a crisis, every Dane must be able to be self-sufficient for 72 hours, he said, a recommendation the government had already announced in 2024.
Last September, unidentified drones flew over several Danish airports and the Skrydstrup air base, where Ukrainian pilots are trained on F-16 fighter jets.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pointed the finger at Moscow for the overflights, saying Russia posed “a threat to Europe’s security”.
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