Sweden to Install Mobile Alert System for Air Raids

Sweden will install a mobile phone alert system to warn citizens in the event of air raids. This move comes as part of strengthening civil preparedness measures following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The new system, inspired by a similar system in Ukraine, will complement Sweden's existing outdoor alarm system, which consists of approximately 4,500 sirens. In the event of an air raid, mobile phones connected to Sweden's telecommunications network will automatically emit voice alert messages, alarms, and vibrate.

Henrik Larsson, head of the population protection department at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, stated that the new system, called SE Alert, could also be used to send alerts in the event of serious crises in peacetime, such as nuclear or chemical accidents. Furthermore, the agency is working with the Swedish military to develop an application that will allow citizens to photograph unmanned aerial vehicles and notify the authorities.