Swedes spooked as government, military say 'prepare for war'

Calls from Sweden's government and military urging Swedes to be ready for war has triggered panic buying, frightened children and a fierce debate in the Nordic country. While Sweden has contributed troops to international peacekeeping missions, the country has not been directly involved in an armed conflict since the Napoleonic era. "There could be war in Sweden," Carl-Oskar Bohlin told an annual defence conference on Sunday, warning Swedes against complacency. Days later, the sentiment was echoed by the commander of Sweden's armed forces Micael Byden, who showed pictures of burnt out and bombed houses from Ukraine.