Sweden Rebuilds Gotland Defenses 275km From Kaliningrad as Russia Fears Spur 4,500-Troop Plans
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 5
Sweden Rebuilds Gotland Defenses 275km From Kaliningrad as Russia Fears Spur 4,500-Troop Plans
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 5
Summary
Hundreds of conscripts have been sent to Gotland as Sweden rapidly remilitarizes the Baltic island, where a mobilized combat group would reach about 4,500 troops.
P18, shut in 2005 and re-established in 2018, has expanded faster since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden's NATO entry, reflecting fears Moscow could use Gotland to dominate Baltic air and sea routes.
Later this year, Gotland will test an emergency evacuation of several hundred people while civil-defense planners build local supply, shelter and casualty-response capacity in case the island is isolated.
Sweden has lifted defense spending to 2.8% of GDP for 2026 and 3.1% from 2028, but commanders say equipment shortages across a rearming NATO are slowing expansion.
Gotland, home to 60,858 people and just 87km from Sweden's mainland, is now being used as a template for broader Swedish and allied civilian resilience planning.
Can Sweden's 'Total Defence' deter Russia, or will it provoke the very conflict it is designed to prevent?
With global arms demand soaring, can Sweden's industry actually equip its new army before it's too late?
As Sweden prepares its entire society for war, what is the true cost to its identity and civilian freedoms?
Gotland Remilitarized: Sweden’s NATO Integration, Aurora 26, and the Baltic Sea’s New Security Frontier
Overview
Sweden’s entry into NATO in 2024 was a direct response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These events pushed Sweden to abandon its long-standing military non-alignment and rapidly strengthen its defenses, especially on the strategic island of Gotland. This shift led to Sweden hosting the major Aurora 26 military exercise in 2026, which brought together 18,000 troops from Sweden and 13 allied countries. The exercise demonstrated Sweden’s new role as a key NATO member and highlighted the importance of regional cooperation for Baltic security.