Swedes Consider Russia the Biggest Threat, but Only 65% Are Ready to Fight 0 9

Every year, the Swedish Psychological Defense Agency (MPF) measures the readiness of the residents of Sweden for defense. While support for the army and navy among the population is at a record high, the willingness of the Swedes themselves to defend is declining.

In its annual public opinion survey, the MPF examines public views on issues of defense, security, and foreign influence. This year's survey shows that support for the armed forces among the Swedish population is at its highest level since the beginning of such surveys.

As the biggest threat, Swedes identify Russia - 84 percent of respondents believe that this country poses a threat to peace and security. The survey also shows a sharply increased concern about a military attack on Sweden. Fifteen years ago, only one percent of respondents considered this likely; today, one-fifth of respondents believe that a military attack on Sweden in the next five years is very or somewhat likely.

At the same time, there is a trend towards a slight decrease in the willingness of the Swedes themselves to defend: the proportion of respondents willing to defend Sweden at the risk of their own lives has decreased from 69 percent in 2024 to 65 percent in 2025.

Primarily, young people and women are not willing to participate in various defense tasks that involve risks to their own lives, while adult men demonstrate significantly higher readiness for defense. Meanwhile, 81 percent of respondents are positive about participating in the defense of the country based on their abilities and skills, but without risking their lives.

This year, for the first time, questions were raised about how the Swedish public assesses the degree of influence of foreign entities on the population through false and misleading information. Here, Russia occupies a special place. Half of the respondents believe that false and misleading information from this country has influenced the population of Sweden over the past year.